Rotorua's first private Christian primary school opened its doors to 23 students today.
Chapman College school principal Graham Preston and trustee Peter Wyatt said it was exciting to see the school finally open after years of discussions and planning.
The school is open to students up to Year 8.
So far $100,000 has
been invested in setting up the school, funded by Rotorua churches, but Mr Preston said the volunteer contributions pushed the total investment to $250,000.
"The building team has all been voluntary, except for one or two," he said.
The school has two fulltime teachers and two voluntary part-time teachers, one fulltime principal and one fulltime office administrator. Mr Preston said he hoped to have 60 to 80 students enrolled in two years.
The school's website had 496 visitors, according to Mr Wyatt.
Chapman College is hoping to extend its classes to include Year 9 in 2011, and to include Year 10 in 2012.
Mr Preston said if there was enough support for Year 11 being offered at the school then it would offer it in 2013, otherwise they would look to Bethlehem College or John Paul College as a continuation of the schooling path.
The school is not exclusive - students do not have to be Christian to enrol at Chapman College but Christian values and principles would be taught, Mr Preston said.
"We are here to educate, not indoctrinate," Mr Wyatt said.
"We have to have some value system but the children make their own choices."
"They are not force-fed [Christianity]," he said.
Each school day will start with a word of prayer and a discussion centred around a biblical theme the classes will be studying each term.
"The goal is to be a happy school where children achieve their individual best, and to be a school which honours God," Mr Wyatt said.
Chapman College was still in need of a piano, musical instruments, outdoor playground equipment and library books for children aged 3 to 6 years, Mr Wyatt said.
