Southbrook School - Amendment to Enrolment Scheme 2023

Overview

The Ministry of Education has been working with Southbrook School to establish an amendment to their current enrolment scheme.

The purpose of an enrolment scheme is to assist the school board to manage the risk of overcrowding, provide a fair and transparent process for enrolment and to ensure we are making the best use of schooling facilities across the network of local schools. Click here for the purpose and principles of an enrolment scheme. (Right click to open in a new window)

A key part of an enrolment scheme is the home zone.

An amendment to Southbrook School's enrolment scheme was consulted on and approved in 2021 to provide an exclusive home zone area for Te Matauru Primary which opened in 2020. Amendments were also made to other local schools at the same time including Ashgrove School and Rangiora Borough School. These amendments commenced from 01 January 2022.

After these amendments, the Tuahiwi area west of Southbrook School remained outside the home zones of the local State schools that operated enrolment schemes. Any students residing in this un-zoned area had the right of entry at Te Kura o Tuahwi as this school did not operate an enrolment scheme and hence had to accept all enrolments.

In 2022 Te Kura o Tuahiwi applied to become a designated character school with a unique approach to teaching and learning reflecting the aims of Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Ngāi Tahu to revitalise Te Reo Māori, culture and identity for ākonga in their own home area. After consulting with local school boards, the Minister approved this application under section 200 of the Education and Training Act 2020 with the designated character to become effective from Term 3, 2023.

This decision necessitated a review of the home zones of local State schools in this area to ensure that any students residing in the un-zoned Tuahiwi area would have the right to enrol at a local State school should they not meet the designated character criteria for enrolment at Te Kura o Tuahiwi or should they wish to attend a State school. Analysis shows that Southbrook school has the capacity to accommodate any additional students residing in this area and hence it is appropriate that Southbrook School's home zone be proposed for extension to include this area to ensure the best use of the network of local schools.

The home zone map and written description have been updated.

Current and proposed home zone (right click to open in a new window)

The amended enrolment scheme is proposed to commence from 17 July 2023. This is at the beginning of Term 3 to coincide with the date that Te Kura o Tuahiwi becomes a designated character school.

All learners/ākonga who live within the home zone of Southbrook School will have an entitlement to attend the school and those that live outside the home zone may be accepted if there are out-of-zone places available and an application meets legislated requirements. To be able to offer out-of-zone places, school boards at state schools keep an eye on the number of applications received from in-zone students to help them determine the places they might have available for out-of-zone students once all in-zone enrolments are accepted.

Note that all students who are already enrolled at Southbrook School before the enrolment scheme amendment commences are entitled to stay at Southbrook School. Siblings of current students that reside outside the home zone will have priority access to any out-of-zone places offered by the school.

There is an existing "Additional Entitlement to Enrol" provision that was approved in 2021 which will be carried over to this amended enrolment scheme for any siblings impacted by the 2021 zone withdrawal.

It is important that we hear and understand community perspectives before we establish this amendment to the enrolment scheme at Southbrook School – especially the design and practical implications of the home zone.  Please have a look at the map and information available before you participate in the consultation process.

This consultation process is about enrolment schemes, which determines eligibility to enrol. 

Information (please read this before completing the survey)

Map and written description of proposed home zone (right click to open in a new window) 

Map only with proposed home zone (right click to open in a new window)

Current and proposed home zone (right click to open in new window)

Frequently Asked Questions (right click to open in a new window)

What happens next

After consultation is finished, the Ministry of Education will collate all feedback and process this information to ensure it meets the requirements of the Education and Training Act 2020 (Schedule 20, Clause 5). If the Ministry is satisfied that the enrolment scheme meets these requirements, the enrolment scheme will be finalised and provided to the school board. The board must implement the finalised enrolment scheme as soon as practicable.