Salisbury School is New Zealand's only single-sex specialist residential school for girls aged 8 to 15 years old. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
Just weeks after they were thrown a lifeline by the new coalition government, two South Island schools for high needs students still do not know what the future holds.
Last month, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced Matai School and Salisbury School would be rebuilt and upgraded, after months of uncertainty following the government's inquiry into school property, despite years of planning for redevelopment.
"The fact you have been waiting for 10 years, it's not acceptable," Stanford told Maitai School staff, students and their families during a visit to Nelson in June.
"We want to get this underway because we want to see delivery as quickly as we can and I know we can get spades in the ground very early in the year and get this rebuild done."
The announcement came after the government committed $90 million to redevelop specialist facilities and increase satellite classrooms for students with high needs.
Several weeks on, staff at Matai School said the rebuild plans have changed and Salisbury School was yet to learn what its redevelopment actually entailed.
Maitai School principal Jenny Milne said after a decade of planning for the new base school to be located on the Salisbury site in Richmond, two weeks ago the Ministry of Education suggested it be located at the front of the campus, instead of the rear.
"We had four options given to us last week and we came and walked around the [Salisbury] site to see if that was going to fit with us and we thought possibly this and a bit of that we could make it work.
"It's not ideal, it is not what we thought we were getting but again, we will compromise and try and make it work."
Salisbury School principal Ellie Salčin-Watts explains that some of the school's buildings, which are almost a century old, are in need of remedial work. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
Milne said they had concerns about the new site being so close to the main road and a neighbouring multi-story residential development.
"We went one step forward and now we are three steps back again because we are having to go back to re-thinking and all the time we are having to re-educate the people we are working with as to what our needs actually are."
Salisbury School principal Ellie Salčin-Watts said she had not seen the options for the reconfigured Maitai Base School and was also waiting for more details, after Salisbury's planned rebuild, became a $10 million refurbishment.
She had concerns after the initial meeting with the Ministry of Education, which she planned to take to Minister Stanford, after it was mentioned there was only enough for "a lick of paint, and some carpet".
"I'm not sure it would meet her vision of an extensive refurbishment."
"It is going to take considerable money to improve the infrastructure under the ground as well as the walls, the roofs and the double glazing."
Touring Salisbury's grounds on Tuesday, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the lack of progress was frustrating, after he as education minister announced the school's $8m rebuild back in 2019, two years after it had been earmarked for closure.
"The Ministry of Education for a long period of time saw Salisbury as on the way out, so weren't really very supportive of maintenance and upgrade work.
"Now there is a commitment to Salisbury being here for the longer term and the fact it is now a bi-partisan agreement ... that gives certainty."
Principal Ellie Salčin-Watts, left, shows Labour leader Chris Hipkins around Salisbury School in Richmond. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
He said it was crucial any redevelopment met the students' complex needs.
"Maitai and Salisbury both have really valid concerns, they have got really valid views on what they want to see out of any refurbishment and any rebuilding work and it is important that the Ministry take that on board.
"This isn't a one-size fits all approach, these are quite unique and distinctive schools and they do need a unique and distinctive approach."
Ministry of Education head of property Sam Fowler said it had met with both schools to confirm funding would be available through Budget 24 for the construction of new facilities for Maitai School and the refurbishment of Salisbury School.
He said options for the location of the new Maitai School had been presented to staff for comment and feedback while the scope of the refurbishment works at Salisbury School were yet to be determined and would be developed in conjunction with the school.
He said there were plans to bring the two schools together early next term to discuss the plans for the rebuild and refurbishment.
