Banks Avenue School To Move To Shirley Boys' High School Site

12 April 2017
Banks Avenue School will be rebuilt. The rebuild will happen in 2019 once SBHS has vacated their existing site and buildings have been demolished. We expect to be moving into our new school mid 2020. Below are some FAQ that you might like to read through.

In  early Term 2 the Board of Trustees will hold an open evening where they will share information and answer any queries or concerns you may have. We will also endeavour to get representatives from the Ministry of Education to this meeting.

Have you any particular questions or concerns you would like addressed at this community meeting? If so, please fill in the contact form below.  Your questions, concerns  or wonderings will be addressed at our meeting.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Form - Questions, Concerns or Wonderings

What other sites were considered?

The MOE evaluated a number of potential sites in seeking a suitable location to rebuild Banks Avenue Primary School on. They considered a range of criteria such as size, shape, topography, environmental conditions and potential hazards, issues of cultural significance, transport networks, price and current use. The Ministry don’t comment on potential sites while they are in the process of identifying and acquiring them, as this information is commercially sensitive.

Why has the Shirley Boys’ High School site been chosen?  

It’s close to the current site, and central to the current catchment area, so it will remain a Banks Avenue community school.  There is enough room and flexibility on the site to provide for future growth.  The gym and hard court surfaces could be part of the new Banks Avenue School.  It is on existing public transport routes.  It will be an empty site, so construction can continue without impacting on learning.

Was there a public consultation?

Early in 2016 Banks Avenue School circulated a survey within their community with regards to the proposed sites under review.

Why aren’t you rebuilding on the existing Banks Avenue School site?

The Board of Trustees felt that rebuilding on their existing site would have an impact on teaching and learning, while an empty site would allow building to occur without distractions.
The new site at Shirley Boys’ High School will also allow for greater flexibility to provide for growth which the current site could not provide for. Rebuilding on the current Banks Avenue School site would have resulted in the following:

• Loss of playing fields for the duration of the build and subsequent demolition of existing structures.
• Learning disruption due to construction noise, dust and mess.
• Location of new buildings would be too close to existing residential properties.
• A severely reduced roll due to to the government's policy of Local Schools for Local Children. Potentially our roll will have dropped to 180 - 200 children.

What will happen to the Banks Avenue site?

The MOE are considering whether they have any future educational needs for the land. If they don’t identify any such needs they would then declare the land surplus and start the disposal process under the Public Works Act 1981, later this year. This means offering the property to other government agencies, previous owners, and iwi (if required by a Treaty settlement) before it can be sold on the open market.

Will the existing Banks Avenue School zone change?

The enrolment scheme is likely to change. The Ministry will work with the Board of Banks Avenue School so the change is implemented in a timely way.

Will a new Banks Avenue School zone affect other schools in the area?

Information will be shared with all schools in the area to support a transparent decision making process, and to ensure the scheme does not disadvantage any part of the community or other schools.

If the zone changes and current students attending the school are then outside the zone will they still be able to attend Banks Avenue School?

All students enrolled at Banks Avenue School at the time of the relocation will remain enrolled.

How much of the Shirley Boys’ site is being used?

The Ministry have yet to determine the final site size, however, the new school is likely to be two hectares.

Will any of the existing facilities on the site be used?

The MOE are considering whether the gymnasium and hard court areas may be retained for Banks Avenue School.

What part of the site is the school being built on?

The exact location on the site will be part of the Master Plan development taking into consideration the school’s educational requirements and the best way to achieve this on the site. The MOE would ensure the buildings are located within the good ground and /or work with the engineering team to provide appropriate foundation solutions.

Is the proposed site better or worse quality than Banks Avenue current land/site?

There are areas on the Shirley Boys’ site that are suitable to build on, and large enough to accommodate Banks Avenue School.

Why didn’t Shirley Boys’ High School rebuild on the site?

Shirley Boys’ High School is aware their existing site could not accommodate a high school of 1200 students. They are pleased that a part of the site will continue to be utilised for education purposes and support another school of smaller size being built there.

What will the new school look like?

The new school will be built as an innovative learning environment. It will support teachers to provide a range of teaching and learning practices.

Will the new school still be called Banks Avenue?

This will be a decision for the staff, students and community to decide closer to the date. There will be full consultation in respect to the school name.

Will the uniform be the same?

As with any school, the BOT would decide on any changes to uniform in consultation with the community. If the uniform changed it would be introduced over a period of time allowing for transition of one uniform to another.

What is the timeframe for completion of the school?

Shirley Boys’ High School will not vacate their current site until 2019. The education brief and design can get under way next year, but construction cannot start until Shirley Boys’ has left the site. Banks Avenue School are expected to move into their new school mid 2020.

What happens next?

The school will consult with the community when they create their education brief to determine how they will deliver the curriculum in the rebuilt school. Master planning will be developed with the school; the education brief will inform the master planners.