The High Court in Wellington has overturned the Government's decision to close the Salisbury residential special school for girls.
In a judgement delivered on Tuesday, Justice Dobson says the decision to close the Nelson school is illegal.
The judgement says the Government wrongly assumed girls could be enrolled at Halswell residential school in Christchurch while it remains a single-sex boys' school.
It also says the Government disregarded the greater risk of abuse the girls might face at a co-educational residential school.
The chair of the school's board of trustees, Helen McDonnell, says parents and staff feared for the safety of the girls if they were sent to a Christchurch school which until now has been single sex.
Ms McDonnell says she hopes the Education Minister will now be prepared to listen to safer options for students.
