While Calton Hill School appears to be safe from the chopping block for now, a Ministry of Education report reveals the school's long-term future looks less certain.
Education Minister Anne Tolley announced on Thursday it was likely Caversham, College Street and Calton Hill schools would be merged as a years 1-8 school on the Caversham site, with a campus on the Calton Hill site.
The option (option 2b) was one of several recommended to Mrs Tolley in a report compiled by the Ministry of Education, aimed at strengthening education in the area.
However, a copy of the report released to the Otago Daily Times showed while Mrs Tolley believed 2b was the best option, she had added a condition in her own handwriting stating: "The Calton Hill site to be reviewed in two years".
A spokesman for the minister confirmed it was Mrs Tolley's writing and that it was part of her preferred option for dealing with Caversham, College Street and Calton Hill schools.
Calton Hill School board of trustees chairman George Sealy was not surprised by the added condition: "It was a suggestion we made to the minister ourselves.
"We wanted to put in the idea that having a second site gives more flexibility to grow and adapt to the future.
"This way, it gives us all a bit of room to fine-tune things. Once a school is closed, it's very hard to open again."
However, he confirmed if the school was not performing to expectation, or its roll declined significantly during the next two years, it too could be closed by the ministry.
"It is an option, but we think Calton Hill School will work."
Mrs Tolley was unavailable for comment yesterday, but her spokesman said officially, the added condition was to ensure the school was working as it should.
The boards of affected schools now have 28 days in which to make additional comments, and a final decision will be announced early next month.
The changes will be implemented from term 1 next year.
Caversham School principal Mike Darracott said no-one knew yet how the new Caversham School would operate alongside a campus at Calton Hill School.
He said questions were already being asked about whether there would be a junior campus at one school and a senior campus at the other; or whether both schools would operate year 1-8 classes alongside each other.
"That will be a decision for the new principal and board of trustees to decide.
"Personally, I think it should be left the way it is now," he said.
