Building Programme
Sod Turning Ceremony
Updated 19 October 2018
Property update
On Monday, we recognised the official commencement of our building work by taking part in a sod turning ceremony (see photo below). This was a significant milestone for our school and marked close to three years of planning and preparation.
The ceremonial sod was turned by our current oldest (Mitchell K) and youngest (Isla C) students using a spade that was supplied to us by the Ministry of Education. It has been the spade that has been used to commemorate the beginning of all of the building projects under the Christchurch Schools Rebuild Programme. Sumner will be the 40th name inscribed on this important piece of Canterbury’s history.
At the ceremony I acknowledged the work of our Board of Trustees, in particular Tim Lawrey, Simon Taylor and Yvonne Hall who have contributed a great deal as the Board’s Property Sub committee. I also acknowledged the support we have received from Ministry of Education along with our project managers OCTA, architects OPUS International and our contractors City Care. We look forward to watching the building project take shape over the coming months.
Updated 19 October 2018
Property update
On Monday, we recognised the official commencement of our building work by taking part in a sod turning ceremony (see photo below). This was a significant milestone for our school and marked close to three years of planning and preparation.
The ceremonial sod was turned by our current oldest (Mitchell K) and youngest (Isla C) students using a spade that was supplied to us by the Ministry of Education. It has been the spade that has been used to commemorate the beginning of all of the building projects under the Christchurch Schools Rebuild Programme. Sumner will be the 40th name inscribed on this important piece of Canterbury’s history.
At the ceremony I acknowledged the work of our Board of Trustees, in particular Tim Lawrey, Simon Taylor and Yvonne Hall who have contributed a great deal as the Board’s Property Sub committee. I also acknowledged the support we have received from Ministry of Education along with our project managers OCTA, architects OPUS International and our contractors City Care. We look forward to watching the building project take shape over the coming months.
Members of the Leadership Team, Board of Trustees, Ministry of Education, OCTA, Mana Whenua and our oldest and youngest students at the sod turning ceremony on 15 October
Building Update
Updated 21 September 2018
This week we have finally seen some action behind the fences surrounding Te Manawa. This has mostly involved clearing vegetation and demolishing the concrete ramps which will enable the Te Manawa Block to be removed.
This building will be shipped off site over the next couple of weeks and will take up residence at Marian College. The site should be completely clear when everyone returns after the holidays ready for the large concrete foundations to be put in place for the new two storey block.
To commemorate the initial stages of our exciting building project, we would like to extend an open invitation to our community to join us for a sod turning ceremony at 9.15am on Monday 15 October (first day of Term 4). Final arrangements are still being worked through with the builders and project managers but the ceremony is likely to take place in and around where Te Manawa currently stands.
Updated 21 September 2018
This week we have finally seen some action behind the fences surrounding Te Manawa. This has mostly involved clearing vegetation and demolishing the concrete ramps which will enable the Te Manawa Block to be removed.
This building will be shipped off site over the next couple of weeks and will take up residence at Marian College. The site should be completely clear when everyone returns after the holidays ready for the large concrete foundations to be put in place for the new two storey block.
To commemorate the initial stages of our exciting building project, we would like to extend an open invitation to our community to join us for a sod turning ceremony at 9.15am on Monday 15 October (first day of Term 4). Final arrangements are still being worked through with the builders and project managers but the ceremony is likely to take place in and around where Te Manawa currently stands.
Years 0-2 students watch with great interest as the Te Manawa ramps are removed.
Construction Programme Begins
Updated August 2018
We are very excited to announce that our construction programme will officially begin on Monday (27th August). This is a very significant milestone for our school and one that has been several years in the making.
At the completion of the project, we will have a new two-story block to house the Years 5-8 students, a new Library/Wellbeing Centre, a new administration block and partial or full refurbishments of all remaining school buildings. In short, we will have close to a brand new school.
This is unprecedented in the school’s history and will see our classrooms and ancillary buildings fully modernised to reflect better lighting, acoustics and flexibility for teaching and learning programmes.
I would like to acknowledge the tremendous amount of thought and effort that has gone into getting us to this point from the Ministry of Education, OPUS architects, Sumner staff, students and parents and in particularly, the current and previous Boards of Trustees.
On Monday the project will get underway, with City Care workers onsite and erecting fences around Te Manawa. These fences will remain in place until the completion of the new two story block. We will also have Versatile Garages starting work on the new Caretaker’s compound that will be positioned on Hardwicke Street.
Important Information
Please take note of the following key pieces of information:
Colenso Street
From Monday, there will be reduced access to the school grounds from Colenso Street. When the fences go up around Te Manawa, the entranceway next to the caretaker’s compound (where the bollards are positioned) will be closed. You will still be able to enter the school office via Colenso Street and use either the Junior school entrance or gates behind Room 15 to enter from Colenso Street.
All other entrances will still be in accessible. We envisage that most people will choose to enter the school grounds via the Hardwicke Street entrance.
Parking on Colenso Street
There will be an increase to traffic on Colenso Street with contractors’ vehicles but we have worked with them to ensure that this is kept to a minimum between the main drop off and pick-up periods of 8.30-9am and 3-3.15pm.
Road Crossing
The main crossing on Colenso Street will still be operating during the drop off and pick up times. For safety reasons we strongly encourage parents and children to continue to use this crossing.
Bike stands
From Monday, the junior bike stands behind Room 3 will be relocated to the far side of the netball courts. The bike stands behind Room 15 will continue to be available as normal.
Years 0-2 Playground
Part of the project will eventually see the Junior and Senior school areas swapping position. This will mean a number of changes to landscaping over time. To start the ball rolling we are removing part of our Senior Playground to make way for the Junior Playground which will be relocated to within the barked area outside of the Admin Block. Although this is not an ideal situation, the Junior Playground needs to be moved to make way for the new two storey block and we do not want to lose this valuable resource for our Junior children.
Relocating Classes
We have carefully developed a decanting programme that will result in little or no disruption to classes. The only class that will need to move at this stage is Te Manawa. The teachers and children in Te Manawa moved out of their current building today and transitioned to Rooms 7&8. This will be their home through until the end of the year.
Staged Plan
Our building programme will go through several stages. As mentioned above, the first stage is the removal of the Te Manawa classrooms to enable construction of the two story block and Library/Wellbeing Centre. Once this is underway, the next major phase will be the demolition of the admin block (due to weather tightness issues) and the construction of a new admin building. This will take place at the end of Term 4. The administration will be decanted to Room 8 and the Nancy Meherne Room (the back rooms of the hall) for the beginning of the 2019 school year.
The final stages of the project will involve a refurbishment of the Years 3&4 block and the existing library and Hardwicke Room. Once these rooms have been completed, Rooms 4-6 and Rooms 13&14 will be removed from the site and the landscaping programme will begin.
All things going well, we anticipate that the building programme will take 12 months to complete with the landscaping component continuing for the next 3-5 years. The intention for the landscaping will be to involve our students and community in designing and in some cases, physically working on the various projects.
We will keep you fully informed as the building programme develops.
Detailed Designs
Updated May 2018
Tēnā koutou e te Whānau
We are very excited to share with you the following completed detailed designs for our school. These plans are a culmination of close to three years of planning and preparation including the development of our Education Brief and Cultural Narrative, along with parent education evenings, drop-in sessions, fundraising events, consultation meetings, focus group discussions, professional development for staff, engagement with the Ministry of Education's property team, guided classroom tours, community surveys, parent tours of other schools and inquiry units for our children about what they believe makes a great learning space.
We are very pleased with the results which reflect a future-focussed approach to education that will ensure that we can engage more children, more often and in more ways for many years to come.
The design phase is now almost complete and we expect to get full sign off from the Ministry of Education in the very near future. The construction side of the project will go out to tender by the end of May with the contractors confirmed by the end of August. Subject to pricing and any final negotiations, we hope to have construction begin in early September.
The first stage of the actual building works will see Te Manawa removed and construction on the new two story block and Library and Wellbeing Centre begin. This will be closely followed by the demolition of the admin block and a new admin and reception being built in its place. The caretakers compound will also be relocated to Hardwicke Street. We anticipate that the construction of all these new buildings will be completed by mid August 2019.
Immediately following this phase, a moderate refurbishment will take place in the Years 3&4 (Tuawera) block along with a light refurbishment of the exisitng library and Hardwicke Room. It is anticipated that all building works (except for landscaping) will be completed by the end of 2019.
We have developed a decanting plan that will see very little disruption to classes given the scale of the building work ahead. This will be shared with our community closer to the commencement of the construction phase.
Updated August 2018
We are very excited to announce that our construction programme will officially begin on Monday (27th August). This is a very significant milestone for our school and one that has been several years in the making.
At the completion of the project, we will have a new two-story block to house the Years 5-8 students, a new Library/Wellbeing Centre, a new administration block and partial or full refurbishments of all remaining school buildings. In short, we will have close to a brand new school.
This is unprecedented in the school’s history and will see our classrooms and ancillary buildings fully modernised to reflect better lighting, acoustics and flexibility for teaching and learning programmes.
I would like to acknowledge the tremendous amount of thought and effort that has gone into getting us to this point from the Ministry of Education, OPUS architects, Sumner staff, students and parents and in particularly, the current and previous Boards of Trustees.
On Monday the project will get underway, with City Care workers onsite and erecting fences around Te Manawa. These fences will remain in place until the completion of the new two story block. We will also have Versatile Garages starting work on the new Caretaker’s compound that will be positioned on Hardwicke Street.
Important Information
Please take note of the following key pieces of information:
Colenso Street
From Monday, there will be reduced access to the school grounds from Colenso Street. When the fences go up around Te Manawa, the entranceway next to the caretaker’s compound (where the bollards are positioned) will be closed. You will still be able to enter the school office via Colenso Street and use either the Junior school entrance or gates behind Room 15 to enter from Colenso Street.
All other entrances will still be in accessible. We envisage that most people will choose to enter the school grounds via the Hardwicke Street entrance.
Parking on Colenso Street
There will be an increase to traffic on Colenso Street with contractors’ vehicles but we have worked with them to ensure that this is kept to a minimum between the main drop off and pick-up periods of 8.30-9am and 3-3.15pm.
Road Crossing
The main crossing on Colenso Street will still be operating during the drop off and pick up times. For safety reasons we strongly encourage parents and children to continue to use this crossing.
Bike stands
From Monday, the junior bike stands behind Room 3 will be relocated to the far side of the netball courts. The bike stands behind Room 15 will continue to be available as normal.
Years 0-2 Playground
Part of the project will eventually see the Junior and Senior school areas swapping position. This will mean a number of changes to landscaping over time. To start the ball rolling we are removing part of our Senior Playground to make way for the Junior Playground which will be relocated to within the barked area outside of the Admin Block. Although this is not an ideal situation, the Junior Playground needs to be moved to make way for the new two storey block and we do not want to lose this valuable resource for our Junior children.
Relocating Classes
We have carefully developed a decanting programme that will result in little or no disruption to classes. The only class that will need to move at this stage is Te Manawa. The teachers and children in Te Manawa moved out of their current building today and transitioned to Rooms 7&8. This will be their home through until the end of the year.
Staged Plan
Our building programme will go through several stages. As mentioned above, the first stage is the removal of the Te Manawa classrooms to enable construction of the two story block and Library/Wellbeing Centre. Once this is underway, the next major phase will be the demolition of the admin block (due to weather tightness issues) and the construction of a new admin building. This will take place at the end of Term 4. The administration will be decanted to Room 8 and the Nancy Meherne Room (the back rooms of the hall) for the beginning of the 2019 school year.
The final stages of the project will involve a refurbishment of the Years 3&4 block and the existing library and Hardwicke Room. Once these rooms have been completed, Rooms 4-6 and Rooms 13&14 will be removed from the site and the landscaping programme will begin.
All things going well, we anticipate that the building programme will take 12 months to complete with the landscaping component continuing for the next 3-5 years. The intention for the landscaping will be to involve our students and community in designing and in some cases, physically working on the various projects.
We will keep you fully informed as the building programme develops.
Detailed Designs
Updated May 2018
Tēnā koutou e te Whānau
We are very excited to share with you the following completed detailed designs for our school. These plans are a culmination of close to three years of planning and preparation including the development of our Education Brief and Cultural Narrative, along with parent education evenings, drop-in sessions, fundraising events, consultation meetings, focus group discussions, professional development for staff, engagement with the Ministry of Education's property team, guided classroom tours, community surveys, parent tours of other schools and inquiry units for our children about what they believe makes a great learning space.
We are very pleased with the results which reflect a future-focussed approach to education that will ensure that we can engage more children, more often and in more ways for many years to come.
The design phase is now almost complete and we expect to get full sign off from the Ministry of Education in the very near future. The construction side of the project will go out to tender by the end of May with the contractors confirmed by the end of August. Subject to pricing and any final negotiations, we hope to have construction begin in early September.
The first stage of the actual building works will see Te Manawa removed and construction on the new two story block and Library and Wellbeing Centre begin. This will be closely followed by the demolition of the admin block and a new admin and reception being built in its place. The caretakers compound will also be relocated to Hardwicke Street. We anticipate that the construction of all these new buildings will be completed by mid August 2019.
Immediately following this phase, a moderate refurbishment will take place in the Years 3&4 (Tuawera) block along with a light refurbishment of the exisitng library and Hardwicke Room. It is anticipated that all building works (except for landscaping) will be completed by the end of 2019.
We have developed a decanting plan that will see very little disruption to classes given the scale of the building work ahead. This will be shared with our community closer to the commencement of the construction phase.
New Administration and Reception
The images above shows the new central entrance to the school off Colenso Street. Due to weather tightness issues the exisiting admin building and caretakers compound will be demolished. This has given us the opportunity to create a far more inviting and centrally located entry point to the school.
When visitors enter the school they will have the option of turning right to go into the main reception or left to go onto the Library and Wellbeing Centre.
When visitors enter the school they will have the option of turning right to go into the main reception or left to go onto the Library and Wellbeing Centre.
View of the entrance from Whitfield Street
View of the new entrance from inside the school grounds
New Administration Block ground floor plan
Library and Wellbeing Centre
The images below shows a range of internal views of the new Library and Wellbeing Centre. This building will be made up of two large internal spaces which access an outside courtyard area. It is designed to be multipurpose in nature, will serve a range of functions for the school and reflects the changing nature of traditional library spaces in schools. The Library and Wellbeing Centre will also be a space that parents and visitors can meet before and after school to connect with each other.
This courtyard will feature a number of plantings including herbs and vegetables and will be used to help educate our children about plant cycles and the cultivation of healthy foods. There will also be a small kitchen to prepare light meals and salads.
The images below shows a range of internal views of the new Library and Wellbeing Centre. This building will be made up of two large internal spaces which access an outside courtyard area. It is designed to be multipurpose in nature, will serve a range of functions for the school and reflects the changing nature of traditional library spaces in schools. The Library and Wellbeing Centre will also be a space that parents and visitors can meet before and after school to connect with each other.
This courtyard will feature a number of plantings including herbs and vegetables and will be used to help educate our children about plant cycles and the cultivation of healthy foods. There will also be a small kitchen to prepare light meals and salads.
View from the librarian's desk
view from inside the Wellbeing Centre looking out to the courtyard
View looking back to the kitchen area
External view looking into the courtyard
Two Story Block
The new two story block will provide learning spaces for our Years 5-8 students. The Years 5&6 Team (Te Onepoto) will be housed on the ground floor and the Years 7&8 Team (Awaroa) will occupy the first floor. The building will be accessed by both internal and external stairs with an elevator provided for wheelchair access. The large verandas will provide shade and/or shelter for the students and will act as outside learning areas when required.
The learning spaces (or hubs as they will become known) are designed to be flexible with a range of different sized rooms. Each hub will also contain a large wet area complete with basic kitchen facilities. Depending on the size of each year level, each hub will accomodate the equivalent of three-four traditional classes.
Finally, the ground floor will be connected to the existing Room 3 which will provide additional space and further options for flexibility.
The new two story block will provide learning spaces for our Years 5-8 students. The Years 5&6 Team (Te Onepoto) will be housed on the ground floor and the Years 7&8 Team (Awaroa) will occupy the first floor. The building will be accessed by both internal and external stairs with an elevator provided for wheelchair access. The large verandas will provide shade and/or shelter for the students and will act as outside learning areas when required.
The learning spaces (or hubs as they will become known) are designed to be flexible with a range of different sized rooms. Each hub will also contain a large wet area complete with basic kitchen facilities. Depending on the size of each year level, each hub will accomodate the equivalent of three-four traditional classes.
Finally, the ground floor will be connected to the existing Room 3 which will provide additional space and further options for flexibility.
External view (from inside the school grounds) of the new two story block.
View of the covered verandah on the ground floor including lockers
Ground floor plan of two story block, Room 3 and Library/Wellbeing Centre
View of large central zone
View looking back to breakout spaces and wetzone
View from within a large breakout space
View from within a second large breakout space
View from wetzone looking out to the entrance
First floor plan for new two story block
View of two story block from Colenso Street
View of new caretaker's compound from Harwicke Street
Previous posts below
Preliminary Design Plans
Preliminary Design Plans
Updated August 2017
Dear Parents and Caregivers
We are very excited to share with you the Preliminary Design Plans for our school as part of the Christchurch Education Renewal Programme. Below you will see a range of images illustrating the main areas of development. These plans are a culmination of ideas gathering from our staff, parents and students over the last 18 months and are heavily aligned with our school's Education Brief and Cultural Narrative.
It is important to note that these plans need to be approved by the Ministry of Education via a Design Review Panel before we can progress on to the next phase which is Detailed Design. A significant consideration in this process is the overall budget and as such, we anticipate that we will likely need to prioritise some of the work with other projects being completed over a 5-10 year period. Please note that the overall design phase is likely to take around 6 months to complete with construction starting in February 2018. We anticipate that stage one of the project - the two-storey block, Library and Wellbeing Centre will take 12 months to complete.
To help the Board make decisions about what these priorities will be, we would like to gather your feedback in relation to the following questions:
If you would like to provide some feedback for the Board please click here to be taken to a Google form. We anticipate that the survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Please note that the survey will close at 9am on Friday 18 August 2017.
Many thanks
Sumner School Board of Trustees
Dear Parents and Caregivers
We are very excited to share with you the Preliminary Design Plans for our school as part of the Christchurch Education Renewal Programme. Below you will see a range of images illustrating the main areas of development. These plans are a culmination of ideas gathering from our staff, parents and students over the last 18 months and are heavily aligned with our school's Education Brief and Cultural Narrative.
It is important to note that these plans need to be approved by the Ministry of Education via a Design Review Panel before we can progress on to the next phase which is Detailed Design. A significant consideration in this process is the overall budget and as such, we anticipate that we will likely need to prioritise some of the work with other projects being completed over a 5-10 year period. Please note that the overall design phase is likely to take around 6 months to complete with construction starting in February 2018. We anticipate that stage one of the project - the two-storey block, Library and Wellbeing Centre will take 12 months to complete.
To help the Board make decisions about what these priorities will be, we would like to gather your feedback in relation to the following questions:
- What do you like?
- What have we missed?
- What should we prioritise?
If you would like to provide some feedback for the Board please click here to be taken to a Google form. We anticipate that the survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Please note that the survey will close at 9am on Friday 18 August 2017.
Many thanks
Sumner School Board of Trustees
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Posted 26 July 2017
School Detailed Design Parent Evening
Dear Parents and Caregivers
As you would have seen in last term's Board Talk, on Wednesday 2 August the Board of Trustees and OPUS architects will be sharing the progress that has been made towards the final design of our school buildings as part of the Christchurch Education Renewal Plan.
The presentation will take place in the Hall at 7pm. Drinks and nibbles will be available from 6.30pm.
This is a great opportunity for you to view the designs and provide the Board with feedback on the overall plans.
We look forward to seeing you there.
School Detailed Design Parent Evening
Dear Parents and Caregivers
As you would have seen in last term's Board Talk, on Wednesday 2 August the Board of Trustees and OPUS architects will be sharing the progress that has been made towards the final design of our school buildings as part of the Christchurch Education Renewal Plan.
The presentation will take place in the Hall at 7pm. Drinks and nibbles will be available from 6.30pm.
This is a great opportunity for you to view the designs and provide the Board with feedback on the overall plans.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Canterbury Block Refurbishment
As you will be aware, part of the wider Canterbury Education Renewal Plan, the Board of Trustees has been given approval by the Ministry of Education to refurbish our senior teaching block (ie Rooms 16-20). This type of building is known as a Canterbury Block due to around 90 of them being constructed in our region during the 1930s.
As you will see from the plans below, the Canterbury Block will be fully modernised to reflect how education will be delivered in schools in the future. The refurbishment will feature a larger shared space with a number of smaller breakout spaces. The overall space is designed to be flexible in nature and will allow for a range of different scenarios in terms of number of teachers and classes using the space. Special consideration will be given to details around lighting and acoustics.
The project will also include a large deck area for outdoor learning and an extended verandah, which will provide more shade options for our children.
We anticipate that work on the Canterbury Block will begin in the December school holidays and take the duration of Term 1, 2017 to complete. We are currently working on a plan that will minimise any disruption and ensure a seamless transition into the refurbished teaching spaces. This will be shared with you in the near future.
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Above: Plans for the refurbishment of the Canterbury Block (Rooms 16-20)
Posted 28 January 2016
Dear Parents and Caregivers
We trust you have had a safe and relaxing Summer break.
Dear Parents and Caregivers
We trust you have had a safe and relaxing Summer break.
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As you will be aware, at the end of November 2015, the Minister of Education Hekia Parata made an interim decision to close Redcliffs School by the end of 2016. Prior to the final decision being made, the Ministry is in the process of exploring a number of possible ways forward from this point. This includes working with the Boards of Mt Pleasant and Sumner Schools to develop a plan to accommodate Redcliffs students coming to Sumner and/or Mt Pleasant Schools should the Minister’s final decision be to close Redcliffs School.
Following the earthquakes, Sumner School was due to undergo significant development to our property as part of the Ministry of Education's Christchurch Schools Rebuild programme. This was originally scheduled to take place in 2019/20. |
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This letter is to inform you that due to the Minister of Education's interim decision to close Redcliffs School, our school has now been placed in a high priority category under the Christchurch Schools Rebuild programme. This is the standard procedure followed for all Canterbury schools as a result of being affected by the possible closure of a neighbouring School.
The Ministry is committed to ensuring that all students continue to have access to high quality education in appropriate spaces regardless of the Minister's final decision for Redcliffs School. For this to occur, it is important that proactive and timely planning takes place that considers all options. As a consequence of this, the start of our Property Development Plan has now been brought forward to the beginning of 2016.
The Property Development Plan involves a three-step process:
1) Education Brief
This is a detailed document drafted by members of Sumner School Staff and Board that sets out the future strategic direction of the school and our Vision for Teaching and Learning. The Education Brief is future-focused and heavily based on pedagogy.
To be completed by the end of March 2016.
2) Master Plan
The Board of Trustees will work with the Ministry of Education’s Property Team to develop learning spaces that will allow our Vision for Teaching and Learning to be implemented. This also includes factoring in “bigger picture” considerations such as planning for future roll growth and the need for additional non-teaching spaces.
To be completed by the end of June 2016. The master plan will be flexible enough to allow for all possible outcomes of the Redcliffs decision.
3) Property Development
This is the construction phase of the process.
To be confirmed.
We can appreciate that this is major news for our community. We want to be clear that we continue to support Redcliffs in their right to have a community school in Redcliffs. However, we must also prioritise the needs of our school community, both current and future, and plan for whatever the outcome. The students are our highest priority and it is with this in mind that we have engaged in this process. In the meantime, we will continue to support the Redcliffs community in their efforts to return to their community.
It is important to note that due to the time and effort that will be invested into the above process, the Ministry of Education has given both the Mt Pleasant and Sumner Boards the assurance that the full process will continue through to the property development stage regardless of what the final decision is for Redcliffs School.
Our Board has worked with the Mt Pleasant Board to prepare some FAQs which we hope will help answer some of the questions you might have about the acceleration of our property development. We will continue to keep you fully informed as this process develops.
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers:
Does entering into the master planning process pre-empt the decision to close Redcliffs School?
No. The master planning process at our school is just one of the options the Ministry is continuing to explore prior to the final decision from the Minister regarding the closure of Redcliffs School.
Will our school buildings be ready to accommodate an influx of Redcliffs students should the final decision be to close Redcliffs?
We have an assurance from the Ministry that all required teaching spaces will be completed for the beginning of 2017. Doing the planning now means that we will be well placed to respond to the Minister’s decision.
How will the parent community and students be involved in this planning process?
We are in the fortunate position to have recently completed (November 2015) a comprehensive online survey with our parent community regarding the strategic direction of our school and are in the process of formulating a strategic plan based on the feedback we received. During the next few months we will continue to engage with our staff, students and parents to ensure that we have the best outcome possible for our community.
What will happen to our property developments if Redcliffs doesn’t close?
We have been given an assurance by the Ministry of Education that due to the time, energy and resources that go into developing a master plan, the property development will continue at our school regardless of the final outcome for Redcliffs.
Will all of the building work be completed by the beginning of 2017?
No. The master planning process encompasses all buildings on site including non-teaching spaces such as the library, hall and administration block. It also takes into account earthquake repairs and weather tightness issues. The priority will be to have all required teaching spaces ready for the beginning of the 2017 school year with construction on the other buildings continuing beyond this.
We hope that this explains the process clearly. We will continue to keep you informed as this process develops.
Kind regards
Yvonne Hall
Sumner School Board of Trustees Chair
The Ministry is committed to ensuring that all students continue to have access to high quality education in appropriate spaces regardless of the Minister's final decision for Redcliffs School. For this to occur, it is important that proactive and timely planning takes place that considers all options. As a consequence of this, the start of our Property Development Plan has now been brought forward to the beginning of 2016.
The Property Development Plan involves a three-step process:
1) Education Brief
This is a detailed document drafted by members of Sumner School Staff and Board that sets out the future strategic direction of the school and our Vision for Teaching and Learning. The Education Brief is future-focused and heavily based on pedagogy.
To be completed by the end of March 2016.
2) Master Plan
The Board of Trustees will work with the Ministry of Education’s Property Team to develop learning spaces that will allow our Vision for Teaching and Learning to be implemented. This also includes factoring in “bigger picture” considerations such as planning for future roll growth and the need for additional non-teaching spaces.
To be completed by the end of June 2016. The master plan will be flexible enough to allow for all possible outcomes of the Redcliffs decision.
3) Property Development
This is the construction phase of the process.
To be confirmed.
We can appreciate that this is major news for our community. We want to be clear that we continue to support Redcliffs in their right to have a community school in Redcliffs. However, we must also prioritise the needs of our school community, both current and future, and plan for whatever the outcome. The students are our highest priority and it is with this in mind that we have engaged in this process. In the meantime, we will continue to support the Redcliffs community in their efforts to return to their community.
It is important to note that due to the time and effort that will be invested into the above process, the Ministry of Education has given both the Mt Pleasant and Sumner Boards the assurance that the full process will continue through to the property development stage regardless of what the final decision is for Redcliffs School.
Our Board has worked with the Mt Pleasant Board to prepare some FAQs which we hope will help answer some of the questions you might have about the acceleration of our property development. We will continue to keep you fully informed as this process develops.
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers:
Does entering into the master planning process pre-empt the decision to close Redcliffs School?
No. The master planning process at our school is just one of the options the Ministry is continuing to explore prior to the final decision from the Minister regarding the closure of Redcliffs School.
Will our school buildings be ready to accommodate an influx of Redcliffs students should the final decision be to close Redcliffs?
We have an assurance from the Ministry that all required teaching spaces will be completed for the beginning of 2017. Doing the planning now means that we will be well placed to respond to the Minister’s decision.
How will the parent community and students be involved in this planning process?
We are in the fortunate position to have recently completed (November 2015) a comprehensive online survey with our parent community regarding the strategic direction of our school and are in the process of formulating a strategic plan based on the feedback we received. During the next few months we will continue to engage with our staff, students and parents to ensure that we have the best outcome possible for our community.
What will happen to our property developments if Redcliffs doesn’t close?
We have been given an assurance by the Ministry of Education that due to the time, energy and resources that go into developing a master plan, the property development will continue at our school regardless of the final outcome for Redcliffs.
Will all of the building work be completed by the beginning of 2017?
No. The master planning process encompasses all buildings on site including non-teaching spaces such as the library, hall and administration block. It also takes into account earthquake repairs and weather tightness issues. The priority will be to have all required teaching spaces ready for the beginning of the 2017 school year with construction on the other buildings continuing beyond this.
We hope that this explains the process clearly. We will continue to keep you informed as this process develops.
Kind regards
Yvonne Hall
Sumner School Board of Trustees Chair