New school ‘reflective of our cultural narrative’

A more than $5 million rebuild of South Canterbury’s only bilingual school is on track to open in time for the new school year in 2022.

Arowhenua Ma¯ori School pupils have been splitting class time between existing buildings, other schools, and the paddock beside the marae while work is underway on a 850-square-metre rebuild of the primary school near Temuka.

‘‘I’m overcome sometimes because after almost two years of planning, it’s actually happening,’’ principal Bronwyn Te KoetiJames said.

‘‘Once a fortnight, we choose a pupil to do a progress report. They have been partially involved with the planning, so it’s pretty exciting for them to now see what’s going on.’’

Ideas from pupils which had been incorporated into the final design included a technology and art hub, quiet places, and a hall for practising kapa haka.

‘‘The entire school, from inside to out, will be reflective of our cultural narrative,’’ Te Koeti-James said.

‘‘We’re privileged to be working with ru¯ nanga and local artists for this.’’

She said braided rivers would be reflected in the building’s brickwork, windows, and carpets, and the plan was to install a carving of Tarahaoa, or Big Mt Peel, at the entrance of the school.

Forty ‘‘lovely’’ pupils attended the school, which had a capacity of 60 – the rebuild allowing the school to cater for a roll of up to 80, Te Koeti-James said.

The Ministry of Education’s head of education infrastructure service, Kim Shannon, said they were investing more than $5m into the redevelopment.

‘‘The new facilities will provide modern, warm, dry, and comfortable teaching spaces, administration area, and resource facilities,’’ Shannon said.

‘‘We plan to demolish the existing facilities, with the exception of the pool shed and the hall.’’

The existing classrooms would ultimately make way for playing fields.

The ministry was working closely with the school, Heritage New Zealand, and the Arowhenua community to determine the future of the 125-year-old hall – which housed the school until 1951.

Te Koeti-James expected construction to finish by December; the doors opening to pupils for the start of the 2022 school year.

JOHN BISSET/STUFF Arowhenua Ma¯ori School pupils have had input on the planning for the rebuild and each fortnight a pupil is chosen to provide a progress report on the project.