School zone divisions cut deep with parents

Jo Banks moved to her dream home in Mt Albert a year ago. One of the drawcards was being in the zone for Gladstone Primary School for her two young children.

But she now faces having to send her younger son to a different school after the Ministry of Education told Gladstone it had to cut the size of its enrolment zone.

"When you move a few lines on a map, there are huge social and economic impacts," said Mrs Banks, whose 6-year-old goes to the popular Auckland school.

"There are a lot of pretty upset people round here at the moment."

Gladstone is one of more than 470 schools nationwide that have enrolment schemes, usually in the form of a school zone.

Only about one in five New Zealand schools needs to restrict student numbers, but zoning is widespread in areas with large, fast-growing populations - Auckland in particular but also Tauranga, Hamilton, Wellington and Canterbury.

Problems arise when some schools are too popular while others have empty places.

Gladstone has a capacity of 814 children but, since 2002, has ended each year with more than 900 students.

Nearby Owairaka Primary has about 350 students but room for as many as 600.

According to the Ministry of Education, six schools could provide alternatives to Gladstone and have "ample capacity".

The ministry proposals could see up to 40 streets dumped from the Gladstone zone, and future pupils from those families being shifted to other schools, such as Mt Albert and Owairaka.

But rightly or wrongly, says Mrs Banks, people perceive those schools as "not up to scratch" and parents want their children at Gladstone.

What is worse for many families is that Gladstone's policy rules that siblings of children at the school do not automatically qualify for a place.

That would leave Mrs Banks with one child at Gladstone and her 2-year-old destined for elsewhere.

Eldon Roberts, a former board member at the school, said Gladstone had been operating above capacity for several years - and been doing so with huge success.

"It's not detrimental to any child so why should it change? Social demographics, the decile rating and house prices can all be affected and it doesn't seem necessary."

Mr Roberts has been organising a committee of parents, including a former principal and former board members. He plans to dispute the ministry's case that a zone change is needed.

Diana Tregoweth, principal at Owairaka, said she could understand the frustration and disappointment of parents whose plans were altered by zone changes.

"But we have a good board, excellent teachers and feel we do just as good a job as any school in the area," she said.

"Parents should not worry about coming here, and the last ERO report supports that view."

Ministry forecasts suggest Gladstone is an anomaly, with a population bulge shifting from primary to secondary schools. The ministry anticipates a drop in the number of zones at primary schools but an increase at secondary schools, particularly round Manukau and the Albany basin in Auckland.