Greytown school rolls climb

Snowballing numbers of capital city commuters and families returning to South Wairarapa are bolstering school rolls in the district, say principals in Greytown.

Kevin Mackay said the Greytown Primary School roll today stood at 344 pupils and included a rise of 60 students in the past five years at the Year 1 to Year 8 school.

"It was unexpected but it is welcome and it must be stressed that it's coming from within our catchment, from within our zone," he said.

Ministry of Education website figures show the decile 6 school had a roll of 319 pupils in July last year.

Mr Mackay said the reasons for the mounting roll included a rise in the number of Wellington city commuters settling in the Wairarapa town and more families returning to the district.

"There are more commuters basing themselves here and more families have come back after being away for a time. Greytown is pretty vibrant right now.

"It's always positive when the roll increases and even more so when that increase is generated from within our own catchment."

Kuranui College principal Geoff Shepherd agreed a lift in commuters and returning families had contributed to an increase in the rolls, although "we believe it is more at the primary level".

"We've certainly, in the past four or five years, had a steady increase - we've been gently moving up and up - and on paper that will continue next year as well. You don't know until you get bums on seats but we're pretty confident and increases are always positive."

Mr Shepherd said the roll also had been mounting at Martinborough School and South End School in Carterton and the shared lift in numbers would in time work through to Kuranui College.

"I think the roll increases are coming more for the primary schools at the moment but it certainly seems to be coming our way."

He said the roll at the decile 5 college fell as low as 470 about five years ago but had increased to about 517 at the start of the year.

The Year 9 intake had figured most significantly in the "gradual" roll increases and he was confident numbers would rise to about 530 or more next year.

The Ministry of Education website showed Kuranui College a year ago had 493 pupils.