Historic Kerikeri classroom block up for grabs

This historic classroom block at Kerikeri Primary is being offered to the community. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Ever wanted your own classroom block? Are you a handyman looking for the ultimate challenge? Or are you part of a community group looking for a building?

Kerikeri Primary School is planning a new block of classrooms but first it has to make space by getting rid of an existing building housing the current rooms 12 and 13 and an office for resource teachers.

Principal Andrew Read said the school had been lucky enough to get a $950,000 Education Ministry building grant and originally planned to renovate and modernise rooms 12 and 13.

However, Ministry advice was that the cost of an upgrade would be prohibitive and the money would be better spent on new classrooms.

Mr Read said rather than see the old classrooms demolished he was keen for the building to be removed and put to a new use, even though that was more complicated.

The ideal outcome would be for the building to stay in Kerikeri and be put to community use, but the school was open to suggestions.

It wouldn't be simple given the bureaucratic hoops that may have to be jumped through but the building was in good condition and was a piece of local history.

The classroom block was moved on site in the 1940s but its original construction date is unknown. It was thought to be made with native timbers including rimu and kauri.

The 325sq m building that replaced it would cater to 100-120 pupils and four teachers in a flexible, collaborative "learning and teaching space".

Like other new classrooms at the school it would consist of one large, shared space which could be divided into separate classrooms if required.

Mr Read said the rebuild was part of the school's 10-year property plan developed by the ministry, which owns the buildings, and the school's board of trustees.

Funding was allocated to building projects every five years and the school had been fortunate enough to get an extra amount granted for a new classroom block, which he said was a "rare occurrence".

The old classrooms will have to be removed by October with construction of the new block due to start in early 2018.

The redevelopment will also require shifting rooms 9 and 10 and removing room 11, so the school will look quite different once the project is completed.

* Anyone keen to put the building to use can register interest and obtain more information by emailing the school on brendaf@kkps.school.nz.