Govt plans 61 new schools - but only one new one funded

The Government has unveiled plans for 61 new schools by 2030, but has only announced funding for one new one so far.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins are at Hingaia Peninsula School south of Auckland today to unveil the first of a series of regional parts of a "national education growth plan".

The plan shows 30 proposed new schools in Auckland and 31 outside Auckland by 2030, with initial funding of $1.2 billion out to June 2023 announced in the Budget.

But the only specific funding announced for Auckland and Northland today provides for:

• $20m for a new primary school in the Milldale development northwest of Silverdale, which is shown as opening with provision for 370 students in the early 2020s and adding space for a further 330 students later in the decade.

• $5m to provide for an extra 250 students at Hingaia Peninsula School.

• $155m for an extra 228 classrooms for 4700 students at 42 existing schools across Auckland.

• $20m for an extra 27 classrooms for 500 students at nine existing schools in Northland.

A further 24 special education satellite units, mainly at existing schools, are included in the numbers.

"The growth plans show that we need to provide for more than 60,000 new student places by 2030 in Auckland and Tai Tokerau," Hipkins said.

"Of the $1.2 billion of funding for school property in the Wellbeing Budget, the investments announced today represent about $200m of that funding."

Altogether, the plan expects to provide for an extra 100,000 students by 2030, including 60,000 in Auckland.

New schools are earmarked at:

North

• Warkworth North primary, 400 students.

• Warkworth South primary, 400 students.

• Orewa Northwest primary, already announced and due to open in 2021 with 420 students, adding 380 later.

• Milldale primary, 370 students plus a further 330 later.

• Wainui #2, another new primary in the Milldale area, 370 students.

• Wainui secondary, also in Milldale, 800 students.

• Albany North primary, 350 students plus 350 later.

• Takapuna Metro primary, possible land acquisition to be confirmed.

West

• Scott Point primary, Hobsonville, already announced, 650 students.

• Whenuapai #1 primary, 420 students plus 380 later.

• Whenuapai #2 primary, 420 students.

• Red Hills North primary, 350 students.

• Northwest secondary, 800 students.

• New Lynn new primary, 420 students plus 280 later.

Isthmus

• CBD primary, 400 students.

• Unitec campus primary, Mt Albert, 700 students.

• Epsom campus primary (current Auckland University site), 700 students.

• Tāmaki Park primary, 700 students.

East

• Flat Bush new primary, 350 students.

• New special school hub, to be confirmed.

South

• Ōtāhuhu/Māngere East primary, 370 students plus 330 later.

• Middlemore primary, 350 students.

• Māngere/Favona primary, 300 students plus 200 later.

• Manukau "possible new urban school".

• Takanini new primary, possible land acquisition.

• Drury #1 primary, already announced, 370 students.

• Drury #2 primary, 370 students.

• Drury #3 and #4 primary, 1090 students.

• Drury secondary #1 and #2, 1600 students.

• Hingaia South primary, 420 students.

• Kingseat primary, 370 students plus 330 later.

• Paerata primary, already announced, 370 students plus 330 later.

• Belmont primary, Pukekohe, already announced, 350 students plus 200 later.

• Pokeno primary, 350 students.