Halswell Residential College in Christchurch will become fully co-educational from 2017, much to the delight of the school.
The college provides special education within a stable and nurturing learning environment for students with underlying intellectual impairments. They're also supported by highly-trained staff with specialist resources.
Since 2014, the boys' school has been able to take up to five girls, or 40 percent of its roll.
The school already has a waiting list of female students.
"Making Halswell Residential College fully co-educational will make its services available to more of our young people with the highest needs," says Education Minister Hekia Parata, who made the announcement on Wednesday.
Two independent reports confirmed Halswell can safely provide for boys and girls.
"My decision comes after consultation with parents, the community and the education and health and disability sectors," says Ms Parata.
"The need for residential schooling has been significantly reduced by the Intensive Wraparound Service (IWS), which successfully supports children with the highest needs to live and learn in their own schools and communities. Most families find this is the best option. However, residential schooling remains available for children in the IWS programme, and a co-educational Halswell will continue to meet this need."
The decision has been welcomed by the school, who first applied to be fully co-educational in 2012.
Board of Trustees chair Lois Chick is pleased they will no longer have to turn a student away because she is female.
"Since January 2014, we have been able to enrol up to five girls at Halswell Residential College however we were still officially a 'single sex boy's school', which disadvantaged female students," she says.
"Now the classrooms and campus will better reflect how life really is, with both males and females being a part of the school community," she says. "It adds an important dimension to the work we do with our students, a number of whom transition to mainstream co-ed schools and beyond that, will live and work in communities made up of both men and women."
Board of Trustees chair Lois Chick (Supplied)
She says the students are currently doing very well, reflected in their achievements and the wider-community support.
"All of our students are supported with individualised programmes and work alongside highly-trained staff in a stable and nurturing environment. Now that environment will be co-ed and we couldn't be happier for our students, family and staff," she says.
The school is currently undergoing a $9 million upgrade as part of the Christchurch rebuild. Four new family-style villas will be built to accommodate up to 32 students.
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