Nor'West News: May 15, 2018

New Zealand Schools: Public Private Partnership (PPP3)
SHIRLEY BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL
AVONSIDE GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL
Drawing Title:
EXTERNAL PERSPECTIVE - ENTRY VIEW
NOTE: PLANS TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER OTHER DRAWINGS
NOTE: COLOURS ARE INDICATIVE
Project No.:
Scale:
Date:
15814
NTS
2016-11-09 SBAG 1403
NOR’WEST NEWS Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Tuesday May 15 2018 21
SCHOLARSHIPS & SCHOOL OPEN DAYS
Ultimate campus taking shape
at QEII Park
Construction of the new state-of-the-art campus for
Avonside Girls’ and Shirley Boys’ High Schools is progressing
rapidly with opening on track for next year.
Sue and John.
The new campus will feature a Performing Arts Centre
with a 750-seat theatre and a 200-seat theatre, a hockey
turf, four sports fields, three indoor gymnasiums, a café,
and a large library and learning centre.
Both Avonside Girls’ Principal Sue Hume and Shirley
Boys’ High School Headmaster John Laurenson are
excited by the progress.
“There are now more than 100 workers on site – that
will peak to more than 300 in coming months. The steel
framing is up and the concrete slabs are down and we
can see now just how big this campus will be – it’s simply
wonderful,” says John Laurenson.
“You can finally see all that we have been talking about
and dreaming about taking shape. We will be onsite with
our students, staff and community making the most of all
of the fantastic new facilities before we know it.”
The campus is due to open in Term Two of 2019. It will
be the first time in New Zealand’s history that two single
sex schools will be co-located.
John Laurenson says the co-location will enable the
schools to offer students more.
“Because we’re building together, we’ve been able to
build bigger and better facilities.”
Sue Hume says the co-location will also enable better
educational opportunities.
“We’ll collaborate on teaching some senior subjects,
so we can offer students wider choice and there’s also
the opportunity to work together on co-curricular
opportunities – such as productions, sports competitions
and the like.”
Both principals are keen to point out that the colocation
is not a merger.
“We’ll still be Shirley and they’ll still be Avonside. We’ll
work together, but both schools will retain their own
culture, identity, staff and uniform. This is not a co-ed
school,” says John Laurenson.
“Research shows that single sex education benefits
both boys and girls,” says Sue Hume. “Boys perform
better academically and girls participate more. This new
campus, has been designed so that students will still
spend most of their time in a single sex environment.”
Both Sue and John say the campus will be an asset the
east of Christchurch will be proud of.
“We’ll be right alongside the new QE2 Sport and
Recreation Centre, the School of Gymnastics and have a
satellite unit for Ferndale School onsite. It’s going to be a
great place to learn.”
AVONSIDE GIRLS’
HIGH SCHOOL
OPEN EVENING
Thursday 24 May 2018 from 5.00pm – 7.00pm
The evening begins in the gymnasium at 5.00pm, with an
address from the Principal Mrs Sue Hume, and student
representatives. A tour of the school follows, with the
opportunity to talk to teachers and students.
We look forward to welcoming all prospective students and
families for 2019.
www.avonside.school.nz PH: 03 389 7199