A super-school teaching children from pre-school to tertiary is one of five possibilities being mooted for education in South Taranaki.

Five education models have been tabled in the discussions for potential changes to Hawera's schooling structure.

Each option presents different opportunities and pathways for students in the area.

All schools with children who go on to attend either Hawera Intermediate or Hawera High School, have been invited to attend meetings and have been involved in early discussions around the models, said Katrina Casey, Ministry of Education head of sector enablement and support.

"If the community is willing to consider possible models for schooling change then a formal consultation process will occur. More information on the schooling models and opportunities to discuss the implications of adopting models will be provided throughout this process," she said.

"It is currently too early in the discussions to say which individual schools may be affected by the adoption of any particular model. Parental choice will also play a role in any model adopted."

Mayor Ross Dunlop attended the meeting and spoke in support of investigating change.

Ministry of Education representatives were at the meeting to answer questions but would wait to see what the community wanted, before reporting to the Minister of Education.

Some early models being discussed are outlined in articles on this page.

Keeping the status quo or creating a middle school

Schooling in and around Hawera would remain basically the same. There would still be some change to existing schools within the current structure. Hawera Intermediate's fire affected buildings would be rebuilt, Hawera Primary and Hawera High School building projects would be completed.

Hawera High School principal Hans Konlechner said at a community meeting on Tuesday March 29 that nothing had to change but we need to consider if we can improve outcomes for our students by doing something different.

"We did become quite excited about some of the possibilities of modern classrooms and curriculum collaboration."

Turuturu principal Richard Bradley said at the same meeting that prior to the fire there was no mood for change.

"It [the present system] wasn't broke at the time and the contributing schools are well thought of by their communities."

A middle school catering for years 7 to 10 and a senior secondary school, years 11 to13 schools are usually found in areas with large and growing populations.

Casey said Hawera did not have a population base to support that structure.

"If this model was implemented it would lead to two relatively small schools, limiting the ability to deliver a broad, deep and diverse curriculum. It would also increase transitions when looked at against some of the other models."

Year 1-8 and 9-13 schools, or enlarging the high school

If this model were to be adopted, a single primary school or several primary school rolls would grow and the intermediate would close.

Ministry of Education head of sector enablement and support Katrina Casey said there would be students benefits with this model.

"It reduces student transitions, which will in turn support achievement (research shows it takes time for children to settle into new environments and often achievement drops during this time)" she said.

"However, we also know that by year 7 many students are ready to move to a more senior setting and this is why the Ministry hopes to get a level of choice within schooling models."

Hawera High School would remain the same.

If the third model were adopted, Hawera High School would cater for students years 7 to 13 and the intermediate would again close.

Casey said this model would again reduce transitions and increase the High School roll, focusing more resources on that school.

"It would reduce choice, as the intermediate would close," she said.

"Primary schools would likely remain unaffected unless they applied to retain their year 7-8 students."

The super school

A super school would focus all resourcing into a single school.

Ministry of education head of sector enablement and support Katrina Casey said year 1 to 13 schools were quite common in areas of low population.

"This model better targets resourcing to teaching and students rather than running a larger number of smaller schools," she said.

"In general these schools aren't usually large schools in most places, for example, Oxford Area School in Canterbury has a roll of around 500."

There are two area school's already functioning in South Taranaki, Coastal Taranaki and Patea Area Schools have rolls of 319 and 94 respectively.

"There are a number of different ways year 1-13 schools can be managed," she said.

"It can be quite daunting for new entrants coming to a new school, so it is quite feasible to have the new entrant/junior and senior schools physically prepared within the one school environment.

"Equally, older students can be role models to their younger peers so it provides both mentoring and leadership opportunities within the single institution. The school could also be split across several sites but would be governed by the same Board of Trustees."