Auckland schools

PHOTO: Rowandale School principal Karl Vasau says an enrolment scheme is needed, but it’s going to lead to difficult decisions. Photo: Supplied

Some Auckland principals are expecting confusion and hostility when they introduce enrolment zones for the first time next month.

Their schools are part of an unprecedented Education Ministry push to create or redraw enrolment schemes at 135 Auckland schools.

The ministry worked with the first 60 schools last year and principals said six of those schools in Manurewa were introducing their zones at the start of term two, 3 May.

The principals said all 35 primary and intermediate schools in the area would then have a zone, a change that would not affect children already in the schools but would apply to new enrolments.

Children in-zone would have guaranteed access to their school, but out-of-zone children would be accepted via a ballot only if there was room for them.

Leabank School principal Rex Maddren said some people would not be happy if the school’s new zone shut them out.

“If people understand before they come, I guess they’ll accept that that’s the case. But a lot of people don’t get the newsletters … and just turn up expecting to enrol like they always have, at which point I would expect there’ll be some pretty angry people,” he said.

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