The implementation of new school zones signalled two years ago is now being felt in local communities.

School enrolment zones were introduced in Wanaka in 2018 to incorporate new primary school Te Kura O Take Kārara, ring fencing both the new school and Wanaka Primary School (WPS).

Prior to that, Hāwea Flat School (HFS) was the only Upper Clutha school to have a zone. 

Now the new zones are being enforced, new students attending WPS must reside within boundaries formed between Ardmore Street and the Wanaka-Luggate Highway north along the shores of Lake Wanaka and the Clutha River outlet, excluding Albert Town.  

The two Wanaka school zones. IMAGE: Supplied

All other new primary school children not located within either the WPS or the HFS zones, reside in the ‘home zone’ and will attend Te Kura O Take Kārara. This large ‘home zone’ covers central, south and west Wanaka, Albert Town, and Cardrona.

Luggate students remain in the Hāwea Flat zone and must attend HFS.

Some Luggate parents recently shared their frustration with the school zones on social media, describing the logistical challenges arising from working in Wanaka, having younger children at preschool in Wanaka, and attending after school activities in Wanaka, and having to collect their children from Hāwea Flat.

The Hāwea Flat School zone covers a wide geographic area. IMAGE: Supplied

One parent said during the early stage of zone planning Luggate was included within the Take Kārara zone, and the family bought a house in Luggate on that assumption.

“Good to know there [are] other parents here who are as mad at this as my husband and I are. Seems like there has been zero thought into the implications on the community of Luggate,” she said.

However, Take Kārara principal Jodie Howard told the Wanaka App while there were discussions about the zoning for Luggate during the development stages and questions were asked if the zone could be changed or reviewed, that was not within the ministry’s remit. 

Hāwea Flat School principal Tania Pringle. PHOTO: Wanaka App

“The two new enrolment zones were to align against the already established zone for Hāwea Flat School. Community meetings were held for parents to better understand the zoning, how it was developed and where the boundary lines sit. The boards from the two Wanaka schools held these meetings as part of the consultation process in confirming the two new zones. Parents at these meetings gained a better understanding of the Luggate zone and where it sits in the Hāwea Flat enrolment zone,” Jodie said.

The zone discussions took into consideration new homes in various subdivisions.

HFS principal Tania Pringle said while Luggate has always been part of the school’s zone, now Luggate parents no longer have a choice.

“From the school’s perspective, we’re working with what we’ve got. It’s a new thing and we understand it’s a change and it’s not always the most convenient thing,” Tania said. “But we will do our best to provide their children with a high quality education and make them part of the school community.”

And while it seems poor planning that HFS is experiencing growing pains (the school roll is around 230 and new classrooms have been built each year for the past few years) while Take Kārara is relatively empty, Tania said that situation will change.

“The Ministry of Education projects how fast a school will fill up, and Take Kārara is tracking as expected against those predictions,” she said, adding the school is likely to be at capacity within two or three years.

Meanwhile the HFS roll was always going to increase, even without the extra ten or so children from Luggate expected to enrol next year, Tania said.

The Ministry’s goal is to balance the school rolls, she said. “There is an equal number of primary school aged children in each zone, based on March 1, 2020.”

“Over time it should balance out so we have three equal schools.”

Tania pointed out that each school offers its point of difference, and HFS offers “a small-school ethos” and a supportive community.  

A Special Housing Area approved for Lake Hāwea will introduce another 400 houses to the area. WPS board chair Andrew Howard said in 2018 if growth in the Upper Clutha continued as predicted over the next ten years, “we will probably look at another school and might need to review the zones then”.

Current students of WPS and younger siblings of those students are able to continue attending WPS regardless of their residential address to reduce disruption during the transition period.

Wanaka’s Holy Family School is a state integrated school and does not have a zone, but only five per cent of its roll can be non-Catholics.