Hon Chris Hipkins

Minister of Education

15 May 2018

MEDIA STATEMENT

Minister of Education Chris Hipkins announced today that he has approved Vanguard Military School's application to become a designated character school within the state education system from 2019.

"Vanguard Military School was the first of 11 charter schools currently operating to put in an application to become part of the state system under section 156 of the Education Act 1989, and now it's the first to be approved," Chris Hipkins said.

"The school will use the ethos and training methodology of the military across the curriculum and in the day-to-day running of the school, to achieve attitudinal and academic excellence. This will form part of its designated character. It will also continue to have a special focus on 'second chance' students."

The application was assessed by the Ministry of Education, and consultation with the boards of schools in the Auckland network whose rolls might be affected has taken place.

"After considering the assessment and the consultation responses, I have decided to approve the school," Chris Hipkins said.

"The application met the requirements of the Act and demonstrated that students who choose to enrol will get an education of a kind that differs significantly from the education they would get at ·an ordinary state school."

Vanguard Military School will open in Term 1 2019 for Year 11-13 students initially, before growing to Year 9-13 once the Education Review Office has confirmed it is ready to provide schooling for students in Years 9-10. An Establishment Board of Trustees has been appointed to ensure that the new school is ready to open in 2019.

The new school will initially be located at the site of the current school, while the Ministry works with the Establishment Board of Trustees to locate a permanent site.

"I am pleased with the willingness of Vanguard's sponsors to work with the Ministry to achieve this outcome, which means that students and the wider school community now have certainty for 2019 and beyond.

"The new school will retain key features of the current charter school, but with the added benefit of the support and protections that are provided within the state education system," Chris Hipkins said.

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