Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

New classroom block opened at Kerikeri Primary School

Northern Advocate
25 Jul, 2019 01:00 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Seven-year-old Lyreena Heta helps Far North Mayor John Carter cut the ribbon for Kerikeri Primary School's new classroom block. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Seven-year-old Lyreena Heta helps Far North Mayor John Carter cut the ribbon for Kerikeri Primary School's new classroom block. Photo / Peter de Graaf

A new classroom block at Kerikeri Primary School has been given a thumb's up by the kids — even if they're a little envious of the youngest pupils who'll get to use it.

The 334sq m building was officially opened by Far North Mayor John Carter. Its two main spaces are designed as a ''modern learning environment'' and will be able to accommodate up to five classes.

Initially it will be home to new entrants and Year 2 pupils but it can be adapted as the school's roll changes.

More than 90 staff, students and parents gave up a day of their school holidays to take part in the opening ceremony on Friday.

Ten-year-old Ben Eckhold, in Year 6, said the new building was ''amazing''.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

''It's very fancy. I like the design of the rooms and the colours. It's even got a kitchen,'' he said.

''I'm happy for the little kids who will use it. I'm a little bit jealous, though.''

Kerikeri Primary School cultural adviser Kipa Munro and minister Sid Kingi bless the new classroom block followed by principal Sarah Brown and kaikaranga Kylah Tarawa, 10, and Kiriahi Strongman, 11. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Kerikeri Primary School cultural adviser Kipa Munro and minister Sid Kingi bless the new classroom block followed by principal Sarah Brown and kaikaranga Kylah Tarawa, 10, and Kiriahi Strongman, 11. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The project cost $1.179 million and replaced the old classrooms 12 and 13, which were moved onto the site in the 1940s.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The school had hoped a new use could be found for the old rimu and kauri building, but moving it off site proved too complicated and costly.

Principal Sarah Brown said she was grateful to staff for their patience while the old building was demolished, and to those who had come in during their holidays to help set up the new classrooms.

''We can't wait to utilise this space, we couldn't be more pleased with the result.''

Brown was also pleased it had been an almost entirely Northland project, with design and project management by Avail Pacific, engineering by PK Engineering and earthworks by Siteworx, all from Kerikeri, and construction by Henwood Builders, of Kaikohe.

Discover more

Another mega-strike a reality, principal says

29 May 05:00 PM

'It felt like all our hard work paid off': Students' world triumph

19 Jun 11:00 PM

Spanish teens lend a hand in Northland

23 Jul 11:00 PM
Environment

Northland DHB files toxic air appeal in Environment Court

24 Jul 10:00 PM

The opening ceremony was led by Minister Sid Kingi and school cultural adviser Kipa Munro, of Ngāti Rehia.

It was an international event, with six teens on an exchange from Barcelona, Spain, taking part and singing a waiata.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Bellbird project takes flight as Northlanders join backyard trapping drive

21 Sep 01:00 AM
Northern Advocate

'A piece of Northland’s history': Landmark Mangonui Hotel for sale

20 Sep 11:00 PM
Northern Advocate

'We’re not waiting': Ngāti Hine Health Trust invests in proven parenting help

20 Sep 07:00 PM

Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Bellbird project takes flight as Northlanders join backyard trapping drive
Northern Advocate

Bellbird project takes flight as Northlanders join backyard trapping drive

The project aims for one trap in every five Waipu backyards.

21 Sep 01:00 AM
'A piece of Northland’s history': Landmark Mangonui Hotel for sale
Northern Advocate

'A piece of Northland’s history': Landmark Mangonui Hotel for sale

20 Sep 11:00 PM
'We’re not waiting': Ngāti Hine Health Trust invests in proven parenting help
Northern Advocate

'We’re not waiting': Ngāti Hine Health Trust invests in proven parenting help

20 Sep 07:00 PM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP