Destiny Church declined for charter school

Destiny Church's bid to turn its south Auckland private school into a charter school has been knocked back.

The church has been trying to secure the right to open one of the Government's planned charter-type schools but on Tuesday, the church was advised by email that its bid had been unsuccessful.

Destiny Church says it had received good feedback on its "robust" proposal to become a charter school and is disappointed that the application has been declined.

"We've been in the process all year, and shaping up a robust proposal with all the other applications," church spokesman Richard Lewis told NZ Newswire.

"It's disappointing to get the news that it's been unsuccessful."

Referred to by the Government as partnership schools, the small number of charter-type state schools won't have to follow the New Zealand curriculum and will employ alternative ways of learning.

"The schools will have greater freedom and flexibility to innovate and engage their students," the partnership schools working group website says.

Destiny Church representatives were told they had been shortlisted from 35 down to a handful at an event in Wellington last month.

"We received feedback that it was an excellent application, they were impressed with it," Mr Lewis said.

The church has been given no reason for being declined.

Destiny School is based in the heart of south Auckland and currently enrols 80 percent Maori and 10 percent Pacific Islander students.

The school teaches a "unique Christian-based character curriculum".

"Our vision is to empower students to fulfill their God-given potential and destiny through character-based learning and academic excellence in education," the school's website says.

Mr Lewis said the outcome of the application won't have any bearing on the church's approach to teaching students at Destiny School.

New Zealand's first charter-type schools, to be opened by 2014, will be located in "areas of significant educational challenge and under-achievement".

NZN

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