The school also expects to learn from the ministry this week when the proposed reduced enrolment zone will be adopted. It will be two months since the school submitted what it labelled a "Band-Aid" response to the ministry's concerns of future overcrowding in Remarkables Primary School and enrolment growth in the Wakatipu.
Principal Debbie Dickson said yesterday an extra four classrooms could be built "very quickly" and kept consistent with the design of the school on the existing site at the end of Ahuwhenua Pod near Boyes Cres, allowing an extra 150 pupils to be accommodated.
"We just need approval that we are allowed to do that. A term and a-half and [the classrooms] would be there. Approval is all to do with the ministry's projections and planning. That's what we're waiting for. The council have to give their consents for it, but they've already indicated that is viable. Using the space would be perfect."
Mrs Dickson said the sixth pod of four classrooms was originally planned, but removed before construction of the $17.3 million school began on the 3.6ha site in April 2009.
Building the extra classrooms would "alleviate some of the pressure and gives time for the ministry to secure the next primary school site. It's a short-term fix, not a long-term fix."
The ministry was aware the school and board of trustees wanted direction on what was to happen so they and parents could plan next year and beyond, she said.
Asked for her reaction to the growing roll, Mrs Dickson said it was "exciting in the sense it's the last part of our staged opening and we become a full primary school. On the other side, as a board and a school we've got to manage our roll and that's the hard bit about what happens.
The primary school opened with more than 50 pupils in February 2010. It welcomed one additional pupil last week and two this week, which will take the total number of pupils to 367 by Friday.
There will be more than 400 pupils in total when 37 pupils in year 7 and six pupils in year 8 begin classes on February 1. The school was built for 460 pupils.
The proposal to exclude pupils from Lake Hayes Estate, Quail Rise Estate, Tucker Beach, Marina Heights and the northern side of Frankton Rd, from term 2, next year, was overwhelmingly rejected by residents who lodged school feedback forms by mid-August.
In a statement attributed to Southern regional manager Raymond Webb, of Christchurch, the ministry confirmed it was considering a request from the board for the date of implementation to be the beginning of term 2, 2012 and would advise the board this week.
Ministry property management group manager Kim Shannon said in a statement: "The ministry is considering a range of accommodation options for student accommodation at Remarkables Primary School. The chosen accommodation option will depend on roll growth at the school during 2012."
