Schools readying for merger

Caversham School.
Caversham School.
Alterations and refurbishment work at Caversham School and Macandrew Intermediate is expected to begin next month in preparation for the merger of several South Dunedin schools on to the sites.

A Ministry of Education spokeswoman said all plans were in place for the schools to open as scheduled at the beginning of term 1 next year.

However, the ministry is still unable to reveal how much the merger of the schools will cost.

In June this year, the ministry budgeted about $2 million in capital costs for the merger of College Street School on the Caversham School site, with an outpost at Calton Hill School.

A further $750,000 in capital costs was budgeted for the merger of Forbury School and Macandrew Intermediate.

The ministry spokeswoman said the schools and the ministry were still working through the final property design solutions, and were unable to provide details of the final costings of the developments.

Internal property work at the Macandrew site includes the upgrade of 11 classrooms, toilet upgrades and the relocation of the staff room. External work will include new fencing and the development of an off-street entry area.

At the Caversham site, a 400sq m addition to an existing block for classrooms and a library is planned.

Up to 12 existing classrooms will also be refurbished, and a new staff room of about 15sq m is planned for the administration block.

Macandrew/Forbury board of trustees chairwoman Joy Clark was pleased with the rate of progress in the merger, and was also confident the Macandrew site would be ready in time.

Following consultation with the schools and surrounding community, the board had decided on a name for the merged school.

But the name would not be released publicly until it had been approved by the ministry, she said.

Caversham-College Street-Calton Hill board of trustees chairwoman Isabell Irwin Sinclair was unavailable for comment.

 

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