Recapitation Application Update

Following on from our recent meeting with the Ministry, in which they fed back to the Board of Trustees the outcomes of their consultation with the schools in our network, we have revised and strengthened our application. We believe it is a very strong application and we trust that the Minister of Education, the Hon. Hekia Parata, will give it the consideration it deserves.

Of the twelve or so schools in the northern suburbs network of schools, only three objected to recapitation. They are Churton Park School, Raroa Intermediate and Newlands Intermediate. As well as responding in writing separately, these three schools requested a joint meeting with the Ministry to put forward their concerns. The Ministry summarised the schools’ concerns for us and we have responded to them. These come under the headings of: equity; history of Churton Park; lack of school difference; previous consultation to determine a year 1 – 6 school; and, our lack of exploration of the different year 7/8 educational options.

Difference: In this argument, the schools are saying that Amesbury School is not really different from them, therefore there is no need for an alternative educational option for year 7/8.

Equity: In this argument, the schools are saying that it is inequitable for the families in the Amesbury School Zone to have one more choice for year 7/8 schooling than the families in the Churton Park School zone.

The history of Churton Park: The suggestion has been made that we are newcomers to the area and, as such, are unaware of the history of Churton Park, and that our actions may be divisive.

Further history – consultation to determine a year 1 – 6 school: The schools have suggested that significant consultation took place in 2009 to determine that Amesbury School will be a year 1 – 6 school and nothing has changed in the meantime to suggest that this should be reviewed.

Year 7/8 education: The schools have suggested that Amesbury School’s consultation has been light because it has not included a robust discussion of the various year 7/8 schooling options.

In our application we have responded to each of these concerns. 

We requested the documentation relating to the 2009 consultation under the Official Information Act which shows that those most likely to be impacted, the community, was not consulted at all and that only Churton Park School, Raroa Intermediate and Newlands Intermediate were consulted. The extent of this consultation was to ask whether they had any objections to a year 1 – 6 school. We think it is timely to review the 2009 decision.

If you would like to read the full application, please see Lesley or Gail for a copy.

Revising the application made one thing very clear to us. Although, the process is taking longer than we were told it would, we are ready to go in 2014. Even if we are only given a short lead in time, we are ready!