New classrooms mean Fairfield School gets its library back

The new Fairfield School zone, taking effect on December 14, 2021.

Ministry of Education will truck in two new classrooms on wheels next year to ease pressure on a Levin primary school bursting at the seams.

An increasing Levin population - particularly in the northeast of town - has the roll at nearby Fairfield School pushing it limits.

Fairfield School principal Alasdair Maclean, who took up the post two years ago after working overseas, said the school was in regular contact with ministry officials about the situation.

Maclean met with ministry officials last year and took them for a drive in his car to show them first-hand the nearby developments in-zone.

Fairfield School Principal Alasdair Maclean.

"We had to show them what we are facing and it's not a discussion you can have in two or three years time."

Maclean said they were introduced to real estate agents and also met with builders working nearby to hear the anecdotes first-hand.

Growth forecasts estimate at least an extra 440 new homes being built each year in the next few years.

Maclean said much of the immediate development was happening in Levin's northeast, near Fairfield School.

New stormwater infrastructure being put in at Roslyn Road in Levin, to cope with the new housing developments near Fairfield School.

"There is significant development happening right next door. We need these additional classrooms."

The school should have a roll of 464 students, but reality was far different. The past two years the roll had reached 513 and 516 students respectively.

If a student was within zone, the school was duty bound to have them enrol. Three years ago the school was forced to turn its school library into a classroom, and some class sizes were at capacity.

Maclean said the wellbeing of children and staff had to be at the centre of all decision-making.

The new Fairfield School zone, taking effect on December 14, 2021.

"Staff and the school board have done extremely well to accommodate extra students and still provide excellent programming and teaching. They are at the heart of it.

"Children have to be at the heart of the decision-making process and you have to make these decisions now."

Maclean said it would be good to claim the library and "make a space" area back with the arrival of the new classrooms.

Fairfield School is one of six in the Wellington region to receive a share of $10 million of funding towards short-term roll growth, announced this week by Minister of Education Chris Hipkins.

"Schools across New Zealand are growing and it is important we respond quickly to address the immediate growth pressure at these schools," Hipkins said.

The new classroom announcement came in the same week the ministry formally advised of changes to the Fairfield School zone last week, reducing the area from where students could enrol.

Fairfield School in Levin will have two new classrooms next year as part of the Government's short-term roll growth programme.

Maclean said the zone changes came after a robust consultation process involving the community, and would take effect at the end of the school year, December 14.

"Although this decision to reduce our zone is unfortunate, it will ensure that class numbers are kept to a reasonable number, and this will allow the highest quality of education," he said.

Meanwhile, the two new classrooms would be built offsite and were expected to arrive in time for the next school year.

The funding for the classrooms was part of the $10m Government short-term roll growth programme.

Wellington Region Schools to get classrooms were Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Ara Whanui (4), Kapakapanui (2), Waikanae School (4), Raumati Beach (1), Fairfield School (2), Heretaunga College (4).

A further $8.5m was announced for project funding at five other schools, which were Foxton School, Freyberg High School, Terrace End School (Palmerston North), Te Pi'ipi'inga Kakano Mai I Rangiatea (New Plymouth), and Boulcott School (Lower Hutt).