Area School Not Supported by Marton

Marton does not support the establishment of an area school in the town.

This is clear from over 300 responses received by the Ministry of Education
to a questionnaire about the report "Making a Choice: Compulsory Mainstream
State Schooling in Marton Beyond the year 2000".

An area school, which would combine primary, intermediate and secondary
schooling at one location, was the preferred option of the author of the
report, consultant Bryan Hennessey.

However, Anne Devonshire, Ministry national operations manager in Wanganui,
said the majority of those who responded to the questionnaire saw greater
merit in other options for future schooling in the area.

"There was little support for an intermediate school, and the key question
now is whether to establish a F1-7 school or to allow the primary schools to
teach children through to intermediate level," she said.

"Whatever option is chosen, it must provide a network of strong schooling
well into the future.

"Everyone is already well aware that Martin's schools now have considerable
surplus capacity, and demographic data shows that this trend is likely to
continue.

"These questions will be the prime focus of future discussions with the
boards of trustees of the schools in Marton."

END

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