The Canterbury National Education Growth Plan 2030 predicts the area’s current high school could reach its capacity of 1800 students by 2027/28. It currently has 976 students.
It is anticipated an additional 600-800 secondary-aged students will require access to a local state school in the area by 2030.
It comes as the Ministry of Education releases proposed new primary school zones for Rolleston.
The community will get a chance to have their say on the amendments.
“This will minimise the risk of overcrowding at each school, as well as determining the enrolment scheme boundaries for the new school in East Rolleston when it opens in 2022,” it said in the consultation document.
Public consultation is also under way, through D & G Consulting, on the options to ensure future high-schoolers are catered for in the area.
One of the options being considered is a second Rolleston College campus on a different site.
“This second campus would have the same board of trustees and management team. There would also be a single vision and identity for the school,” the consultation document says.
Different ways this option could work are also being considered including students being separated into junior and senior campuses.
“A second campus would allow cohesion and avoid our town being divided into two separate zones.
“There are a number of possibilities for the community to consider in terms of what that could look like.”
The search area for a potential site is in the south of Rolleston, about 1.5-2km from the college.
A Ministry of Education spokeswoman said it was unable to provide detail on the sites being considered at this stage, so as not to prejudice or disadvantage our ability to carry out commercial negotiations.
The other option being considered by the ministry is a completely new high school.
“It would have its own identity, own governance and own uniform. The design of such a school would be developed with input from the community.”
Public meetings have been planned at Clearview School on August 10 and 11, 7-8pm to gather further feedback on the issues.
- You can have your say through the online survey available here until August 24.
The proposed school zones for 2021 include:
- Lemonwood Grove School – 164 Dunns Crossing Rd to Selwyn Rd, Selwyn Rd from Lincoln Rolleston Rd to Weedons Rd including addresses on the western side of Weedons Rd from Selwyn Rd.
- Clearview School – Lowes Rd until East Maddisons Rd, the western side of Weedons Rd to Levi Rd and Brendean Drive to Weedons Rd
- West Rolleston School – The southern side of Main South Rd to Dunns Crossing Rd, Rolleston Drive to Main South Rd and Brookside Rd to Rolleston Drive.
- Rolleston School – The southern side of Main South Rd to 81 Main South Rd, the western side of Weedons Rd to the Southern Motorway and the northern side of Levi Rd to Weedons Rd
