Creative thinking and determination have overcome construction industry issues to allow the 168›year›old Warepa School to build towards a bright future.
‘‘We had to return to the drawing board a couple of times when the costs of construction suddenly blew out the budget,’’ principal Sue Adcock said, ‘‘But by thinking laterally with big, sliding glass doors to connect rooms, indoor› outdoor flow and innovations like a mobile kitchen›island, we can adjust contained multipurpose areas into a large space for productions and assembles.’’
In 2018/19 the Warepa School Board was advised the school’s indoor area was deficient by 103sq m and that they had been allocated a budget to address the lack of non›teaching space.
Funding was provided by the Ministry of Education to develop library, resource, admin and multipurpose spaces.
Original plans involved adding to or redeveloping the existing multipurpose block to relocate the administration area, shift the staffroom and enlarge the multipurpose space and library.
Plans were developed and went out to tender, but when Covid›19 hit the country, compounding issues of material supply and inflation caused the plans to outstrip the budget, so in 2021 Warepa’s school board redeveloped and downsized the plans to fit within the current school’s footprint along with a smaller extension.
The new plans were again put out to tender and once again exceeded the available budget, but early this year additional funds were secured and the project was confirmed to start in term 3, 2022.
After a lengthy journey, Mrs Adcock said the board, staff and pupils were ‘‘excited about the construction being finished in Term 4’’.
Warepa School’s main building is presently a construction site which, on completion, will also boast a new reception, staffroom, principal’s office, kitchen and print/copier room with storage.
These functions are presently spread through the school’s learning spaces, so when the build is completed, ‘‘breakout space’’ for classrooms will be achieved, enabling more options and flexibility.
Landscaping is also planned.
