Uncertainty over Queenstown school rolls

School rolls in the Queenstown area continue to grow despite the financial fall-out from the Covid-19 lockdown.

But principals in the area warn that may change later this year.

Ministry of Education March roll return figures show rolls in the Lakes District increased 1.8% over the past year, and have increased 57.4% over the past decade.

Wakatipu High School broke the 1000-pupil mark for the first time, and KingsView School, Queenstown School, and St Joseph’s School (Queenstown) also had increases in rolls.

Despite roll increases in the Lakes District, the Taieri and West Otago, Otago’s overall rolls dropped by 434 pupils in the past 12 months.

Southland’s rolls dropped by 196 pupils, overall.

Otago Secondary Principals’ Association secretary Gavin Kidd said although there had been a minor decline in the Otago and Southland totals in the past year, the roll numbers had been trending upwards and that was expected to continue.

Since the rolls were submitted by schools on March 1 this year, all schools had been closed for the lockdown and many people, particularly those in tourism in the Lakes District, had lost their jobs.

Remarkables Primary School principal Deborah Dickson said despite the job losses, no families had yet left her school to find work elsewhere.

However, she did not discount it becoming an issue later in the year.

"We are uncertain of what the future holds, because once the mortgage holidays finish and the subsidies stop, we don’t know what is going to be put in front of our families."

Shotover School principal Ben Witheford said his roll was static at present, but both St Joseph’s School (Queenstown) principal Trisch Inder and Queenstown School spokeswoman Nicky Tall said there had not been any change to the regular pattern of roll growth at their schools.

They said pupils would continue to come to the schools from early childhood centres.

But Ms Inder did not believe that would last because it was not known how the pandemic would affect early childhood numbers in the future.

She said Government and local government support for families in the area would finish in September, and at that time, it was "highly possible" families of pupils at her school and early childhood centres would start to feel the financial pinch, and would have to move elsewhere to find jobs.

"I know a couple of families are already talking about going away.

"I guess if the migrant families have visas, then they are more vulnerable to be able to get new work.

"I’m sure it will have an impact. But how much of an impact? We just don’t know."

She said there were scenarios in which the impacts may be positive for schools.

"If we have lots of housing available, will that drive down the prices of accommodation here?

"We traditionally have families living in Alexandra who work in Queenstown.

"Will it be better value for them to now be living in Queenstown and not have the petrol costs?

"You’ve got a whole lot of interesting scenarios that could potentially have an impact."

March school rolls by year

OTAGO TOTAL:	31998	32936	32502
DUNEDIN
SCHOOL	2018	2019	2020
SECONDARY
Bayfield High School	492	575	510
Columba College	566	600	570
John McGlashan College	505	532	502
Kaikorai Valley College	492	537	458
Kavanagh College	742	710	666
Kings High School	1035	997	947
Logan Park High School	595	657	704
Otago Boys High School	757	827	783
Otago Girls High School	785	815	758
Queens High School	361	346	362
St Hildas Collegiate	445	478	456
TOTAL:	6775	7074	6716
INTERMEDIATE
Balmacewen Intermediate	519	518	509
Dunedin North Intermediate	230	238	272
Macandrew Intermediate	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
Tahuna Normal Intermediate	542	589	605
TOTAL:	1291	1345	1386
PRIMARY
Andersons Bay School	303	301	289
Arthur Street School	158	186	200
Balaclava School	232	233	246
Bathgate Park School	208	177	175
Bradford School	108	110	105
Broad Bay School	36	31	26
Brockville School	128	144	150
Calton Hill School	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
Carisbrook School	312	325	318
Caversham School	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
College Street School	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
Concord School	84	74	79
Dunedin Rudolf Steiner School	61	64	63
Forbury School	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
George Street Normal School	461	489	437
Grants Braes School	243	248	238
Halfway Bush School	50	52	33
Kaikorai School	296	304	310
Liberton Christian School	102	97	100
Macandrew Bay School	151	160	157
Maori Hill School	229	239	238
Mornington School	259	270	268
Musselburgh School	175	167	159
North East Valley Normal School	245	235	243
Opoho School	144	157	171
Pine Hill School	39	37	40
Port Chalmers School	104	111	110
Portobello School	61	50	45
Ravensbourne School	18	22	19
Rotary Park School	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
Sacred Heart School (Dunedin)	33	36	37
Sara Cohen School	35	43	47
Sawyers Bay School	131	115	123
St Bernadette's School (Forbury)	170	179	165
St Brigid's School (Tainui)	92	74	71
St Clair School	399	392	419
St Francis Xavier School	105	113	110
St Joseph's Cathedral School	131	149	148
St Joseph's School (Port Chalmers)	16	13	13
St Leonard's School (Dunedin)	49	33	32
St Mary's School (Dunedin)	20	27	36
Tainui School	306	300	291
Wakari School	309	296	292
Primary TOTAL:	6003	6053	6003
DUNEDIN TOTAL:	14069	14472	14105
CENTRAL OTAGO
SCHOOL	2018	2019	2020
SECONDARY
Cromwell College	443	503	484
Dunstan High School	541	581	553
Maniototo Area School	178	161	139
Roxburgh Area School	163	158	162
PRIMARY
Alexandra School	208	223	200
Clyde School	140	137	149
Cromwell Primary School	291	304	336
Goldfields School (Cromwell)	266	248	272
Millers Flat School	45	40	35
Omakau School	60	68	68
Paerau School	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
Poolburn School	32	29	29
St Gerard's School (Alexandra)	138	147	135
St John's School (Ranfurly)	58	56	50
The Terrace School (Alexandra)	378	368	372
TOTAL:	2941	3023	2984
LAKES
SCHOOL	2018	2019	2020
SECONDARY
Mt Aspiring College	961	1091	1132
Wakatipu High School	889	977	1011
PRIMARY
Arrowtown School	515	515	496
Glenorchy School	30	31	31
Hawea Flat School	225	210	236
Holy Family School (Wanaka)	190	188	203
Kingsview School	56	53	72
Makarora Primary School	11	9	9
Queenstown School	578	593	616
Remarkables School	572	552	543
Shotover Primary School	466	534	494
St Joseph's School (Queenstown)	132	121	132
Tarras School	6	10	10
Te Kura O Take Karara			92
Wanaka Primary School	680	658	567
TOTAL:	5311	5542	5644
SOUTH OTAGO
SCHOOL	2018	2019	2020
SECONDARY
Lawrence Area School	138	138	133
South Otago High School	464	440	425
The Catlins Area School	97	112	107
Tokomairiro High School	247	241	234
PRIMARY
Balclutha School	162	155	156
Clinton School	68	70	64
Clutha Valley School	111	110	119
Kaitangata School	84	102	101
Milton School	175	148	137
Romahapa School	75	77	76
Rosebank School (Balclutha)	229	241	256
St Joseph's School (Balclutha)	53	43	54
St Mary's School (Milton)	75	77	70
Stirling School	24	28	24
Tahakopa School	8	6	5
Tokoiti School	32	27	34
Waihola District School	27	39	33
Waikoikoi School	22	18	11
Waitahuna School	27	25	20
Waiwera South School	39	42	36
Warepa School	55	57	52
TOTAL:	2212	2196	2147
TAIERI
SCHOOL	2018	2019	2020
SECONDARY
Taieri College	1037	1138	1128
PRIMARY
Abbotsford School	284	278	282
Amana Christian School	4	17	23
Big Rock School	83	101	99
East Taieri School	295	318	306
Elmgrove School	295	289	289
Fairfield School (Dunedin)	406	439	430
Green Island School	164	173	168
Lee Stream School	32	32	32
Outram School	150	153	158
Silverstream School	244	243	259
St Mary's School (Mosgiel)	131	126	128
St Peter Chanel School	65	57	59
Strath Taieri School	46	44	51
Taieri Beach School	10	4	4
TKKM o Otepoti	36	37	44
TOTAL:	3282	3449	3460
WEST OTAGO
SCHOOL	2018	2019	2020
SECONDARY
Blue Mountain College	236	219	228
PRIMARY
Heriot School	49	49	61
Tapanui School	117	111	91
TOTAL:	402	379	380
NORTH AND EAST OTAGO
SCHOOL	2018	2019	2020
SECONDARY
East Otago High School	149	157	165
St Kevins College	420	448	409
Waitaki Boys High School	413	402	368
Waitaki Girls High School	402	399	398
INTERMEDIATE
Oamaru Intermediate	255	297	325
PRIMARY
Ardgowan School	160	168	135
Duntroon School	76	83	82
Fenwick School	296	299	302
Five Forks School	32	31	34
Flag Swamp School	8	7	4
Hampden School	40	39	42
Kakanui School	41	49	44
Karitane School	21	18	21
Macraes Moonlight School	18	22	19
Maheno School	46	51	47
Omarama School	40	47	46
Oamaru North School	70	73	67
Palmerston School	114	95	104
Papakaio School	141	138	119
Pembroke School (Oamaru)	266	264	244
Purakanui School	11	13	11
St Joseph's School (Oamaru)	186	167	148
Totara School	35	42	56
Waikouaiti School	80	96	103
Waitaki Valley School	113	102	112
Waitati School	70	79	86
Warrington School	46	54	51
Weston School	232	235	240
TOTAL:	3781	3875	3782
SOUTHLAND TOTAL:	16208	16697	16501
INVERCARGILL
SCHOOL	2018	2019	2020
SECONDARY
Aurora College	390	442	441
James Hargest College	1799	1843	1777
Murihiku Young Parents’ Learning Centre	17	22	60
Southland Boys’ High School	963	1001	1008
Southland Girls’ High School	1033	1059	1056
Te Wharekura o Arowhenua	164	176	184
Verdon College	747	749	728
TOTAL:	5113	5292	5254
PRIMARY
Ascot Community School	288	304	271
Donovan School	430	418	422
Fernworth School	288	269	240
Invercargill Middle School	162	168	149
Makarewa School	138	145	136
Myross Bush School	173	176	166
New River School	195	203	212
Newfield Park School	225	239	224
Otatara School	294	274	272
Ruru Special School	70	82	95
Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi)	98	95	97
Salford School	249	253	280
Southland Adventist Christian School	60	74	71
St John’s Girls’ School (Invercargill)	136	138	137
St Joseph’s School (Invercargill)	137	151	146
St Patrick’s School (Invercargill)	266	268	275
St Theresa’s School (Invercargill)	260	257	260
Tisbury School	114	122	120
Waihopai School	322	342	325
Waverley Park School	271	279	273
Windsor North School	321	330	346
Primary TOTAL:	4497	4587	4517
INVERCARGILL TOTAL:	9610	9879	9771
GORE DISTRICT
SCHOOL	2018	2019	2020
SECONDARY
Gore High School	488	498	463
St Peter’s College	339	389	410
INTERMEDIATE
Longford Intermediate	188	210	186
PRIMARY
East Gore School	116	112	117
Gore Main School	191	186	178
Knapdale School	40	43	36
Mataura School	106	112	123
Otama School	12	11	16
Pukerau School	45	52	47
St Mary’s School (Gore)	185	200	213
Waikaka School	54	57	55
West Gore School	234	212	201
TOTAL:	1998	2082	2045
SOUTHLAND DISTRICT
SCHOOL	2018	2019	2020
SECONDARY
Aparima College	173	188	181
Central Southland College	552	586	540
Fiordland College	215	231	237
Menzies College	320	330	310
Northern Southland College	181	199	203
Waiau Area School	95	127	139
PRIMARY
Balfour School	96	93	83
Blackmount School	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
Bluff School	138	142	141
Dipton School	51	63	53
Drummond School	52	49	57
Edendale School	136	143	150
Garston School	38	40	41
Glenham School	15	15	9
Gorge Road School	51	39	38
Halfmoon Bay School	32	35	32
Hauroko Valley School	69	81	84
Heddon Bush School	62	48	53
Hedgehope School	26	27	37
Hillside School	36	36	34
Isla Bank School	10	CLOSED	CLOSED
Limehills School	177	162	197
Lochiel School	79	89	89
Lumsden School	92	72	83
Mararoa School	47	43	48
Mossburn School	54	49	50
Otautau School	165	166	161
Rimu School	119	109	122
Riversdale School	104	108	104
Riverton School	156	149	143
St Patrick’s School (Nightcaps)	30	29	27
St Teresa’s School (Bluff)	22	32	26
St Thomas’s School (Winton)	86	99	99
Takitimu School	77	77	71
Te Anau School	232	252	268
Te Tipua School	42	31	20
Thornbury School	61	71	62
Tokanui School	91	85	79
Tuturau School	31	33	30
Waianiwa School	40	46	40
Waikaia School	28	20	17
Waimahaka School	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
Wallacetown School	51	52	50
Willowbank School	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
Winton School	278	283	281
Woodlands School	93	97	94
Wyndham School	97	110	102
TOTAL:	4600	4736	4685