Phillipstown School has lost its battle to stay open, with the Minister of Education announcing today that she is going ahead with plans to merge the Christchurch primary school with Woolston School.
The merged school will operate on the current Woolston School site from Term One, 2015.
Education Minister Hekia Parata says: "It is now more than 18 months since I first announced my proposal that these schools merge. That is a very long time for the children, staff and communities of Phillipstown and Woolston to deal with uncertainty about their schools. I am glad to be providing certainty to them today."
Ms Parata says the reasons for the merger "include the surplus of primary places in the local school network, Phillipstown's small roll for a city school, and significant earthquake and other property related issues at both schools".
She says the site will be significantly redeveloped at an estimated cost of $11.8 million.
"Investing in one merged school gives us the opportunity to provide kids from Woolston and Phillipstown with the very latest and best in modern technology and resources. They will be taught and will learn in the very best environment possible."
Ms Parata says she will appoint a board to oversee the merger, and she hopes members of both school communities will be putting up their hands to take part in this.
Phillipstown School last year won a court battle to stave off a merger with Woolston School.
The school won nearly $100,000 in court costs for its battle with Education Minister Hekia Parata over the proposed closure.
The minister was ordered to pay the school's court costs when Justice John Fogarty declared in November that her consultation process over its merger with Woolston failed to meet the requirements of the Education Act.
However, that decision did not guarantee the survival of the school, and further consultation resumed.
Ms Parata said she reviewed the submissions from both schools with "fresh eyes" and had been open to the possibilities they proposed. But still decided to go ahead with her initial proposal.
Source: ONE News
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