Plans to implement enrolment zones on two Timaru secondary schools have been scrapped after fightback from the community.
In May, the Ministry of Education announced it would be seeking feedback on plans to impose enrolment zones on both Timaru Girls’ and Timaru Boys’ High Schools at the start of 2026.
Timaru Boys’ High School rector Dave Thorp said he was relieved the zones would no longer be going ahead.
‘‘I didn’t feel that we needed a zone. I’m also happy for the people of South Canterbury because it’s great to have a choice; we believe in that.
‘‘It was obviously deemed a very unpopular move by the wider community, so it’s one of those times when you can see democracy working.
‘‘I think the great thing about Timaru is there is a bit of choice and people value the choice, even if they have no intention of going to particular schools. I think we’re lucky here, every school offers something different.’’
He said it was great to see the community make their voices heard.
‘‘I suppose it happens all the time with different things like people getting angry or excited about things in councils or politics. You see that more often but with schools, I think sometimes you feel you just get dictated to.
‘‘But this time it seemed that the ministry were responsive and they were actually listening. So it was great.’’
Ministry of Education Te Tai Runga (south) acting hautū (leader) Andrea Williams said detailed and constructive feedback from the two impacted schools played a key role in informing the ministry’s decision.
‘‘We appreciate everyone who took the time to make a submission. The feedback received was valuable in helping us understand the perspectives of schools and their communities.
‘‘We will continue to monitor growth and enrolment patterns across the district and work with schools in managing local networks of education delivery.’’
Timaru Girls’ High School acting principal Erica Bailey said the school was delighted with the ministry’s decision.
‘‘This outcome is a testament to the strong voice and incredible support from our entire community, and we extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who made a submission.
‘‘This decision allows us to continue our long-standing tradition of welcoming students from across South Canterbury, a practice we’ve proudly maintained since 1880.
‘‘We firmly believe that students and their families should be allowed to choose the school that best fits them, and not be dictated by their postcode. The South Canterbury area is fortunate to have many excellent schools, and this decision preserves the valuable choice that families rely on.’’
She said the overwhelming response during the consultation period clearly showed how much the community valued the school’s tradition and the choice it provided.
‘‘We believe this is a win for all of South Canterbury, ensuring that students and their families can continue to choose the school that best fits their needs.
‘‘Our focus remains on providing a high-quality, welcoming, and inclusive learning environment for all students, just as we have for over a century.’’
While the zones would no longer be going ahead at this stage, the ministry was still worried about overcrowding at schools in South Canterbury, Mr Thorp said.
‘‘They didn’t say much to us, but they just said that they would continue to monitor our roll. We feel that all the pointers, all the predictions for South Canterbury are for very slow or no growth.
‘‘While we might get close to our perceived limit, we think we’ll always be able to manage it. We feel pretty comfortable that unless there’s some extraordinary growth that we can comfortably cope with within our current square metres and classroom stock.
‘‘This year at the moment, we have 36 classes that are under 20 [students] and quite a few are 15 or under. We have a handful of classes that are about 30, but the vast majority sit between 20 and 27.
‘‘It’s just not a concern for us but I understand they have to plan for property management and they have to monitor where the growth is.’’
