The Ministry of Education’s proposal to introduce a zone at Queen’s High School comes after its roll grew about 80% — from 338 students in 2019 to about 615 students this year.
The school had about 20 contributing schools from across Dunedin making up its year 9 roll.
The ministry is working with the school’s board to establish an enrolment scheme.
It said the school was at risk of overcrowding due to an increase in enrolments.
Students who live in the proposed home zone for the school will get preference to attend from next year.
Principal Barbara Agnew said she was a little bit frustrated that not all young people who wanted to go to the school would be able to.
Her philosophy for education was equity and excellence.
She wanted to give as many people as possible the opportunity to receive an education at Queen’s.
Mrs Agnew had raised concerns with the ministry about students living on the east coast of Dunedin being able to attend Queen’s.
Tahuna Normal Intermediate was one of the schools that had been left outside of the Queen’s proposed home zone outline from the ministry.
"It is a concern because we would like the students who are attending school in our area to potentially choose us."
It highlighted the success of the school in turning around a declining roll.
The school was close to capacity and had to manage its timetable carefully because it was running out of teaching spaces.
While the school would have ideally liked to increase its capacity, it did not look like the ministry would fund new classrooms in the current climate, Mrs Agnew said.
Nonetheless, she was confident there would be enough places for students outside of the home zone to enrol at Queen’s.
She encouraged parents in the school’s community to share their thoughts on the enrolment scheme with the ministry.
Students already enrolled at Queen’s were entitled to stay and siblings of current students would have priority access to any out-of-zone places offered by the school.
Year 13 students Jahliah Lousley and Ruby Maclean, both 17, said they enjoyed their experience at Queen’s because of its small community feeling.
"You get better connections with the teachers and everyone in your year and other years," Jahliah said.
They had noticed the roll had grown, especially this year.
The hall was starting to get more cramped during assemblies.
"We have our assemblies in the gym now because there’s not enough room in [the hall], which is good because it’s [the roll] growing."
