100 | New landscaping is further enhancing the school environment, which also includes many beautiful mature trees, green areas and a new rope climbing adventure course. Kim Newth Three new hapori classroom blocks and a purpose-built STEAM building with specialised technical learning areas have been a game changer for Burnside’s Wairarapa Cobham Intermediate this year. That’s according to school principal Eddie Norgate, who says the new learning spaces – built for a roll of 610 - have been very well-received by staff and students alike. The new buildings mark completion of the first significant phase of the school’s post-earthquake rebuild programme, with more positive development in the pipeline for 2023/24. “Ever since these new buildings opened [in July 2022], we keep on getting better,” he says. “Every day, every week, there are new paths and accessways formed, a new adventure playground has been developed, and there’s something new to see. Over the next year and a half, we’ll be seeing more and more progress.” He says students have loved being able to leave their old rundown classrooms behind and move into the new blocks. Each one includes three traditional classrooms, as well as four that can be used for shared learning, providing choice and flexibility for both staff and students. The new STEAM building, which replaced an old tech block, is providing a bright, flexible, safe and specialised learning facility, with technical learning areas for hard and soft materials, food, science and digital technologies. “It has been a game changer for heating, ventilation, lighting, aesthetics – the list goes on. The school’s past has been acknowledged in the choice of traditional brick classroom cladding and the names we’ve used for various spaces. We’ve got established trees here too that really add to the school’s character.” Wairarapa Cobham Intermediate, along with neighbouring Burnside Primary, are both part of the Christchurch Schools Rebuild (CSR) Programme, with their respective rebuilds involving shared facilities. A new administration block, which is due to open in October 2023, will be shared between the two schools. A unit for Pītau-Allenvale School, being established at Burnside Primary, will serve as a double-satellite facility for both Wairarapa Cobham Intermediate and Burnside Primary. Completing Wairarapa Cobham Intermediate’s rebuild will be a new school hall, due to be finished by early 2024. Burnside Primary is due to move into its new rebuilt site in April/May 2023. “It makes sense for us to share some resources to achieve economies of scale, but both schools are still going to be very much separate places with their own identities.” Local iwi Ngāi Tūāhuriri presented the kāhui ako (education providers) with a cultural narrative for the rebuild. With the opening of the new classroom blocks and STEAM building in July 2022, Cobham began using its gifted name of Wairarapa alongside a new logo. The new name is entirely fitting, as the Wairarapa Stream borders the school and has long been integral to its unique character. Generations of students have studied the stream and its ecology as part of science learning. New landscaping is further enhancing the school environment, which also includes many beautiful mature trees, green areas and a new rope Exciting year ahead for school climbing adventure course. Next year will be a transitional phase for Wairarapa Cobham Intermediate as the old uniform is phased out. Incoming Year 7 students in 2023 will wear the new uniform, designed to be gender neutral and give students more choice. Wairarapa Cobham Intermediate offers a great range of opportunities to help meet students’ academic, cultural and sporting needs. “We like to try and open pathways for students that they can take into high school by encouraging them to get outside their comfort zone, whether that’s playing sport or learning an instrument,” says Eddie. “It’s about setting them up for later by giving them opportunities for discovery and growth.” “Every day, every week, there are new paths and accessways formed, a new adventure playground has been developed, and there’s something new to see.” 027 275 0420 021 390 200 021 329 881 ResiDential Commercial Civil Contact us: 03 974 3561 www.tuffnelldrainage.co.nz Proud to provide quality services to Calder Stewart Industries W irarapa Cobham Intermediate School COMMERCIAL CIVIL RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY Wairarapa Cobham Intermediate School
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