King's move set off contest for girl pupils

King's College. Photo / APN

Competition between some of the country's top private schools has come partly because of one school's increased intake of girls.

The issue has come to light following a complaint to the Herald from a parent whose daughter attends Diocesan School for Girls in Epsom.

The parent, who did not want to be named, said the school had sent out at least two newsletters discouraging parents from sending their daughters to a traditionally all-boys school, understood to be King's College in Otahuhu.

King's has been making spots available for girls in Years 12 and 13 for the past three decades.

In 1980, following moves made by a number of all-boy schools in England to allow spaces for girls, King's leaders decided it was time for a change.

Headmaster Bradley Fenner said the school's then headmaster saw it as a chance to "soften the place" up.

"[He] felt that he wanted to move the school forward and progress it from being just that very traditional boys' school ...

"But he wanted to take some new directions and to soften the place a bit," Mr Fenner said.

"And so we took girls in then and the number has gradually grown. In the first year, in 1980, we had 15 girls. We now have a total of 140 girls."

The school takes up to 70 girls each year, in Year 12. Last year's intake came from 26 schools, not only from around the Auckland region but also Northland, Waikato, the Bay of Plenty and Hong Kong.

Mr Fenner said the demand for places for girls increased every year and many applicants had to be turned down.

A separate boarding house, Middlemore Lodge, was established to house the female students and then Taylor House was set up.

Mr Fenner said there is a real camaraderie among the girls.

"We find it works very well. They do develop strong bonds very quickly. You could imagine, this sort of arrangement is definitely not for every girl.

"But for girls who are attracted to come here, it's those with a bit of get-up and go and a bit of ambition and drive ... they're a very impressive group of women, actually."

John Langley, chief executive of education consultants Cognition Education and a former member of the board of governors at Diocesan School, said many schools - both public and independent - were competing for good students.

"Our whole education environment means that schools compete with one another for students and that's why [schools] get sidetracked with marketing ... That's got nothing to do with good education."

Dr Langley said many parents were becoming fairly choosy over which school they sent their child to.

"I think it's getting tighter and probably going to get tight - whether they go to Dio, King's or St Cuthbert's or somewhere else - I think there's a huge amount of competition there. I think it's a very tight market."