Support for single site school

Aranui High School's board of trusteees has supported the Government proposal for a single site school in the area.

In September, the Government faced criticism when it announced education renewal plans for the city, including the merging of Avondale Primary, Aranui Primary, Aranui High, Chisnallwood Intermediate and Wainoni School on a single site.

Aranui High School principal John Rohs said the decision to support a new single site school, to be established in 2017, was a way to regain adult and community education which had been axed under the previous minister.

"That is a significant part of our decision is the potential for adult and community education to be re-established - it was very distressing when it was lost for us as it was a big part of what we offered the community,'' he said.

Mr Rohs said the board also supported the single site option as a way to include early learning on to the site.

"The most important part is the connection of the school to the community, '' he said.

Mr Rohs said their "strong preference" was for the single site school to be on the current Aranui High School site on Shortland St.