Rangitoto College rules out accepting out-of-zone students, parents increasingly desperate
Auckland's best-known public schools are warning parents they are likely to accept even fewer out-of-zone students than in the past. Illustration / Paul Slater
Auckland's biggest high school won't accept out-of-zone students next year as population growth and roll pressure force it to close its books.
Rangitoto College is not alone. Other top public schools have told the Herald they are likely to accept few or no out-of-zone students for 2026.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
42 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Just one man survived the Air India crash. What's it like to survive a mass disaster?
By By Erin Smith of Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was the sole survivor of the Air India flight 171 crash. Photo: Narendra Modi / YouTube / AFP Viswashkumar Ramesh, a British citizen returning from a trip to India, has been confirmed as the only survivor of Thursday's deadly Air India crash. "I don't know how I am alive," Ramesh told family, according to brother Nayan, in a video call moments after emerging from the wreckage. Another brother, Ajay, seated elsewhere on the plane, was killed. Given the horror of the Air India plane crash, the story of British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh from Leicester, sitting in seat 11a, being sole survivor & walking away with just a few scratches, is truly astonishing. Truly a miracle. #planecrash #PlaneCrashIndia The Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college less than a minute after taking off in the city of Ahmedabad, killing the other 229 passengers and 12 crew. At least five people were killed on the ground. Surviving a mass disaster of this kind may be hailed as a kind of "miracle",but what is it like to survive, especially as the only one? Air India flight 171 crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad. Photo: AFP / Diptendu Dutta Past research has shown that disaster survivors may experience an intense range of emotions, from grief and anxiety to feelings of loss and uncertainty. These are common reactions to an extraordinary situation. People light candles as they take part in a Siliguri prayer ceremony for the airplane crash victims. Photo: Handout / CENTRAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY FORCE (CISF) / AFP Some people may develop post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) and have difficulty adjusting to a new reality, after bearing witness to immense loss. They may also be dealing with physical recovery from injuries sustained in the disaster. Most people recover after disasters by drawing on their own strengths and the support of others. Recovery rates are high: Generally, less than one in 10 of those affected by disasters develop chronic, long-term problems, but being a sole survivor of a mass casualty event may have its own complex psychological challenges. Survivors can experience guilt they lived, when others died. My friend, Gill Hicks, spoke to me for this article about the ongoing guilt she still feels, years after surviving the 2005 bombings of the London Underground. Lying trapped in a smoke-filled train carriage, she was the last living person to be rescued after the attack. Gill lost both her legs, yet she still wonders, "Why me? Why did I get to go home when so many others didn't?". Dr Gill Hicks lost both legs in the 2005 London Underground bombings. Photo: supplied In the case of a sole survivor, this guilt may be particularly acute, but research addressing the impact of sole survivorship is limited. Most research that looks at the psychological impact of disasters focuses on the impact of disasters more broadly. Those interviewed for a 2013 documentary about surviving large plane crashes, Sole Survivor , express complex feelings - wanting to share their stories, but fearing being judged by others. Being the lone survivor can be a heavy burden. "I didn't think I was worthy of the gift of being alive," George Lamson Jr told the documentary , after surviving a 1985 plane crash in Nevada that killed all others on board. People who survive a disaster may also be under pressure to explain what happened and relive the trauma for the benefit of others. Vishwashkumar Ramesh was filmed and interviewed by the media in the minutes and hours following the Air India crash, but as he told his brother, "I have no idea how I exited the plane". India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. Photo: Narendra Modi / YouTube / AFP It can be common for survivors themselves to be plagued by unanswerable questions. Did they live for a reason? Why did they live when so many others died? These kinds of unaswerable questions reflect our natural inclination to look for meaning in experiences, and to have our life stories make sense. For some people, sharing a traumatic experience with others who've been through it or something similar can be a beneficial part of the recovery process, helping to process emotions and regain some agency and control. However, this may not always be possible for sole survivors, potentially compounding feelings of guilt and isolation. Survivor's guilt can be an expression of grief and loss. Studies indicate guilt is notably widespread among individuals who have experienced traumatic events, and it is associated with heightened psychopathological symptoms (such as severe anxiety, insomnia or flashbacks) and thoughts of suicide. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. Photo: @ASHLOVETEA via AFP Taking time to process the traumatic event can help survivors cope, and seeking support from friends, family and community, or faith leaders can help an individual work through difficult feelings. My friend Gill said the anxiety rises, as the anniversary of the disaster approaches each year. Trauma reminders, such as anniversaries, are different to unexpected trauma triggers, but can still cause distress. Media attention around collectively experienced dates can also amplify trauma-related distress, contributing to a cycle of media consumption and increased worry about future events. On 7 July each year, Gill holds a private remembrance ritual. This allows her to express her grief and sense of loss, and to honour those who did not survive. These types of can be a valuable tool in processing feelings of grief and guilt, offering a sense of control and meaning, and facilitating the expression and acceptance of loss. Lingering guilt and anxiety - especially when it interferes with day-to-day life - should not be ignored. Ongoing survivor's guilt is associated with significantly higher levels of post-traumatic symptoms . Survivors may need support from psychologists or mental health professionals in the short and long term. - Erin Smith is associate professor and discipline lead (paramedicine) at La Trobe University This story originally appeared on The Conversation.
1News
3 hours ago
- 1News
Sole survivor describes moments before Air India plane crash
The lone passenger who survived the Air India crash that killed 241 people onboard couldn't believe he was alive when he opened his eyes — surrounded by flames, debris and charred bodies. The British national of Indian origin, Viswashkumar Ramesh, was headed to London when the flight crashed minutes after taking off from India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon (local time). It was one of India's worst aviation disasters and the first crash for a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner since the widebody, twin-engine planes went into service in 2009, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. Currently admitted in a local government hospital, Ramesh narrated his ordeal to India's national broadcaster, saying the aircraft seemed stuck mid air within a few seconds of the take off. He said green and white lights came on, and immediately after that, the aircraft engines accelerated but seemed unable to gain height before it crashed. ADVERTISEMENT People stand around debris at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) (Source: Associated Press) Seated in 11A, Ramesh said his side of the plane fell onto the ground floor of a building, and there was space for him to escape after the door broke open. He unfastened his seat belt and forced himself out of the plane. "When I opened my eyes, I realised I was alive," he said. Ramesh sustained burn injuries on his left hand and walked some distance in shock before he was assisted by the locals and taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Viswashkumar Ramesh's ticket for seat 11A on Air India Flight 171. (Source: Supplied) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the crash side on Friday, met the lone survivor. "I told Modi what all I had witnessed. He also enquired about my health," Ramesh said from his hospital bed. ADVERTISEMENT Dr Dhaval Gameti, who treated him, said he was disoriented with multiple injuries all over his body but seems to be out of danger. New Zealand's Indian community gathers at Auckland's Mahatma Gandhi Centre to pay respects to victims. (Source: 1News) Ramesh, who had his boarding pass with him in the hospital, said he saw several passengers and crew members dying and parts of the plane strewn around the crash site. Ramesh was traveling with his brother and called relatives in Leicester after the crash, his cousin, Ajay Valgi, told the BBC. He has a wife and "little boy" at home. "He only said that he's fine, nothing else," Valgi said, adding that the family is "happy that he's OK, but we're still upset about the other brother". Ramesh's brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, told Sky News that his brother called his father moments after the crash to say he had survived. "He video called my dad as he crashed and said, 'Oh the plane's crashed. I don't know where my brother is. I don't see any other passengers. I don't know how I'm alive, how I exited the plane'," he told Sky.
1News
3 hours ago
- 1News
Pūkaha Wildlife Centre replaces board during financial woes
Pūkaha Wildlife Centre has replaced its board effective immediately, and says it's been "heartened" by the response to recent fundraising efforts. The not-for-profit wildlife centre, which borders the Tararua and Wairarapa districts and acts as a breeding sanctuary for native birds, put out an urgent plea for financial help last week. Shane McManaway, who was brought in alongside former chairperson Bob Francis to overhaul the organisation, has been named incoming board chairperson. McManaway acknowledged the efforts of the previous board members who "worked tirelessly to build a precious taonga for Rangitāne Iwi, wildlife centre staff and the local community for the benefit of future generations". But he said it was clear the current operating model, which included only part-funding of conservation work by the Department of Conservation with the rest from community funding, was no longer sustainable. ADVERTISEMENT "The new board is tasked with ensuring a sound and stable future for Pūkaha," McManaway said. "Our focus is transitioning the organisation onto a stable financial footing." It was a difficult time for staff, stakeholders and communities as the centre worked through the next steps and urgently raised capital to avoid closing. "We are heartened by the recent community fundraising effort, support from individuals, private and public organisations." The centre was still in discussions with potential investors and the Department of Conservation, he said. "Discussions to date are positive and we are hopeful that we can find a long-term sustainable solution." McManaway will be joined on the board by deputy chairperson Bob Francis, Sean Stafford, Brian Ashton, Nick Rogers and Jenna Snelgrove, along with a representative from Rangitāne and another from DOC. ADVERTISEMENT
