New Cromwell Primary School Learning Hub Gives Students Proper Learning Space

The junior learning hub at Cromwell Primary School has helped alleviate some of the issues of the school with insufficient room for their students to hold classes. However, the school is still in need of new rooms and the subsequent primary school furniture necessary for their use.

The learning space, designed for year 1 pupils, was opened last June 6, Tuesday.

The Primary school’s principal, Wendy Brooks, stated that the new learning space was good for the school and its students, who were being taught in the corridors due to a lack of space in the school facilities. She states that the goal of the school is to be able to move all the children out of the school corridors and into proper classrooms, complete with the tools and the primary school furniture their environment needs. She adds that the issue is that the school is over-capacity, and adds that the Ministry of Education is well-aware of that fact. The school is designed to hold 235 occupants divided into 10 classrooms, but the number of students exceed that by nearly 50, at 283.

The growing number of students had not shown any sign of slowing down, hence the opening of the Harewa Learning Hub is good news for both students and teachers alike, who have been waiting for it since planning began in 2015.

The construction of the project underwent a troublesome process, including an initial rejection by the Ministry due to initial quotes on pricing coming back higher than what was first estimated. Cut-backs were necessary, and, after asking help from Jacqui Dean, Waitaki’s MP, the project was finally given approval.

The approved design was a large, wide open space that could be sectioned off into areas for the kids’ play, or closed off for more focused activities. The room was furbished with ergonomic  primary school furniture and topped off with calming colors for the kids.

The design was checked by several local preschool teachers and compared with other similar learning environments before application, as per the orders of the school’s principal.

Principal Brooks has expressed joy in the opening of the new hub, but noted that additional classrooms are still necessary for the school due to a large number of students.