Mt Cook School zone to shrink, but siblings will be allowed to attend
Wednesday, 6 May 2026
Facing a smaller zone, a Wellington primary school faced a difficult proposition: cutting out the siblings of enrolled students.
But the Ministry of Education has now decided to allow grandparenting in Mt Cook School’s new zone, meaning siblings of enrolled children will be allowed to attend.
Tumuaki (principal) Adrianne McAllister of the inner city school said she was pleased with the result.
“It’s very good, I’m very happy with that. It’s what we’ve asked for for a long time.”
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At a meeting last week, parents and staff voiced their concerns over a ministry proposal to shrink the zone in an attempt to address overcrowding at the school, where the roll has reached 313, well over its 257 capacity.
The overcrowding was exacerbated by ongoing renovations, and some students were having lessons in an office space in a commercial building beside the school, which the ministry leases at $20,000 a term.
School whānau questioned a ministry representative about grandparenting: the smaller zone would potentially cut siblings of enrolled students. The ministry said this would affect about seven families.
McAllister said this was a significant concern, with parents worried about splitting their children between schools.
Now, she was looking forward to telling them the good news.
“Whānau will be so grateful, they’ve been worried.”
McAllister also had long-running issues with the state of the school, including weather tightness: she’d sent The Post photos of a window with a gap in its frame.
She was hopeful this might be addressed, she said.
“We are talking [with the ministry] again, about wanting to resolve it.”