8th Intermediate School

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31278, 26 January 1967, Page 12

8th Intermediate School

The eighth intermediate school in Christchurch, Chisnalwood —■ at the Burwood end of Breezes road—will open for pupils next Wednesday. Costing about £120,000, it will have an initial roll of 242 pupils.

Form I pupils only would be taken this year and these would come from the Avondale, Aranui and Wainoni contributing schools, said the headmaster (Mr R. S. Jen-

kins) yesterday. Some form I pupils from Burwood School would attend the new school, and others would attend Shirley Intermediate School, he said. Composite Name The name of the school is composite, made up of the names of two former owners of land in the area—Messrs Chisnail and Wood. There had been some difficulty in deciding precisely which area the new school was in, and the name was finally chosen as a compromise, said Mr Jenkins. There would be nine class teachers and four manual

training specialists, he said. Pupils would be able to take metalwork, woodwork, cooking and clothing classes, which would also be attended in the first year by form II pupils from Avondale, Aranui and Wainoni Schools. Mr Jenkins said the school consisted of 12 classrooms, four manual training rooms, a science room and an arts and crafts room. When the school opened, only eight of the classrooms would be in full use, and two would be used for music and remedial reading. More than 500 pupils were expected next year, and the

roll would soon grow to 640, Mr Jenkins said. Identical in design to Casebrook and Cobham Intermediate Schools, Chisnallwood has a large assembly hall. A feature of this and the main vestibule is parquet flooring. Teachers will begin work at the new school on Tuesday. As with other intermediate schools, it was planned to develop enrichment programmes for pupils of higher intelligence, as well as music, drama and other special activities which were possible with a large number of children in a particular age group, Mr Jenkins said.