| 117 T T Kelly Deeks New facilities a win for students The new science building will include eight laboratories and four general teaching spaces within a two-storey building of about 1610sqm. COMMUNITY Hillmorton High School - Armitage Williams Hillmorton High School is continuing a major redevelopment programme as its rapidly growing roll drives demand for new specialist learning spaces, with a new science block now under construction, and further projects planned in the coming years. The Christchurch secondary school has experienced significant growth since 2020, when principal Sam Ainsworth first joined the leadership team. The roll has increased from around 980 students to approximately 1400 today, reflecting both residential expansion in the area, and increasing density from infill housing developments. Sam says the growth has created pressure on existing facilities, and highlighted the need for more modern specialist teaching environments. “Our current science block has five science labs and it simply does not serve a school of our size anymore,” Sam says. “The Ministry of Education is planning for us to grow to about 2300 students over time, so these developments are really about making sure we have the right spaces to support that.” The new science building will include eight laboratories and four general teaching spaces within a two-storey building of about 1610sqm. Designed by Baldasso Cortese Noordanus, with support from engineering consultants Powell Fenwick and Beca, the facility will form a hub for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning. Construction is being delivered by Armitage Williams, which was selected following a competitive Ministry of Education tender process involving several contractors. Armitage Williams has impressed the school with the pace of construction, with the new building expected to be completed within about 11 months. “That speed is really important because of the disruption that comes with a construction site in the middle of a school,” Sam says. “We have large trucks coming through the site and areas that are closed off, so the faster the project is completed the quicker we get that space back for our students.” The redevelopment follows two major projects completed in recent years, including a 22-classroom middle school block finished in 2021, and a new double court gymnasium completed in 2024. SERVICES BAR F I TOUTS | SHOP FITOUTS KITCHENS AND WARDROBES 03 42 0 40 42 181 Maces Road, Bromely, Christchurch info@gilljoinery.co.nz | www.gilljoinery.co.nz The previous gymnasium, which had been designed decades earlier when the school roll was about 600 to 700 students, no longer met the needs of the growing school. Beyond supporting teaching programmes, the new facilities are also being used by the wider community. The gymnasium hosts local basketball programmes, and provides additional capacity for local events, as well as arts activities and evening classes. Sam says the new science building will expand opportunities for students to pursue specialist interests and career pathways. “This will really become a hub for STEM activity at the school,” he says. “Our robotics team recently finished second in New Zealand, and they are heading to the world championships. Our senior boys’ volleyball team finished fourth in the South Island, and our basketball programme sees us competing at the top of the sport in the South Island across a number of year levels. Having facilities like this helps support those kinds of achievements.” Looking ahead, the science block is expected to be completed by late 2026, with planning already underway for a new performing arts building to follow. Together, the staged redevelopment programme is expected to continue through to around 2028 or 2029. Sam says the projects represent a longterm investment in both the school and the wider community. “The students are the real winners. These spaces allow young people to pursue their personal best in whatever pathway they choose, whether that is academic, science, sport, arts, or technology.”
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