Staff, students, and parents marked the end of Ohorere School with a farewell celebration yesterday, before it closes for good on Monday.
Students of the Ohorere Student Education and Transition Programme received end-of-year certificates and were farewelled in a ceremony that sole teacher Chris Webb said was very emotional.
"Therewas a great deal of sadness, tears, and also anger because the reality is that no one really understands why," Mr Webb said.
"It's such a small amount of money [to keep the school open] and we have such a good success rate of 85 per cent. Of the 19 students who attended the school over the last 18 months, 16 of those have gone back into school successfully."
The school was made to close after the Ministry of Education cut funding for the unit, which cost about $200,000 a year to run at the old trout hatchery in Pownall St.
"[Education Minister] Anne Tolley said one of the reasons it was being closed was because of a poor ERO [Education Review Office] report, which I absolutely deny," Mr Webb said.
"Our report was as good as any and ERO actually recommended our report as a good example to other schools."
Mr Webb said the hardest thing about yesterday was the fantastic feedback from parents.
"This school has made a difference to their boys, most of whom were on the verge of being asked to leave a school. They were in a very dangerous state at that time, and the boys have made positive changes that they have made worthwhile. They have made new choices, and a couple have made very significant changes.
"All six boys we have had over this last period are all successfully back in school.
"They're not perfect, but let's face it, not many kids are."
Mr Webb said he worried for the futures of other boys in similar situations to those who have attended Ohorere.
"There is a new behaviour management plan being taught in schools, which I fully support, but it works for 95 per cent of children. That top 5 per cent is the kids that we look after and now they have nothing."
