Principal Greg Riceman with the $50,000 fence Raureka School is installing to ensure young children remain safe. Photo / Warren Buckland
A Hastings primary school has had to spend $50,000 on a new fence to help keep children safe.
The construction of the new fence at Raureka School in Hastings has started, replacing an older fencemade from mortar.
Principal Greg Riceman said the previous fence was damaged and needed replacing.
"It was age, it was all mortar and everything like that and it was falling apart. We went and got guys to have a look and they said they couldn't give us any guarantees with it."
He said the school decided to prioritise spending on the fence to ensure the students health and safety.
"There are some little children, every so often, who need to be kept in.
"They sometimes might get a ball, like a ball might go outside and they'll just go out after it, it's just purely health and safety keeping them inside."
He said the school had not received any funding aid from the Ministry of Education for the new fence project.