Day-one pupils (from left) Angus Thompson (6), Ethan Moss (6) and Johannes Mackay (6), all of Lake Hayes Estate, were excited about starting their studies.
Establishment board trustee Darren Rewi gives a powhiri to welcome year 1 and 2 pupils and their families, outside the first 'learning pod' of classrooms.
Establishment board chairman Roy Thompson told day-one pupils they were very lucky to learn in the first new state primary school in the lower South Island for almost 30 years.
Melissa Mitchell-Bain, one of Remarkables Primary School's two team leaders, sang traditional Maori songs on the guitar during the school's opening ceremony.
Day-one pupils, parents and grandparents explored their new state of the art ``learning spaces'' within ``Flora pod'', the first of five classroom clusters to be completed.
Frankton lad Finn Mallon (5) was one of more than 50 day-one pupils who were welcomed to Remarkables Primary School by principal Debbie Dickson.
Remarkables Primary School teacher Candice Buchanan shows day-one pupils (from left) Havielarsha P.Selvam (5), of Frankton, Kaitlyn Mckay (5), of Frankton, and Shonte Arona (5), of Lake Hayes Estate, how the laptop-linked interactive whiteboard works,...
New pupil James Scoles (5), of Lakeside Estate, tries out the interactive whiteboard in ``learning space'' Flora 3. Classmate Finn Mallon (5), of Frankton, is introduced to the laptop link.
Remarkables Primary School five-year-old pupils (from left clockwise) Joshua Nyberg, Jacob Gjaja, Lucy Norton, Sophie McNea, Ruby Andrews, Ruby Phelon and Charlotte Payne are welcomed and introduced by teachers Nikki Martin (left) and Kelly Blair.
Ollie Ridd (5), of Lake Hayes Estate, plants his native plant with classmates in the shade of the early childhood centre, to mark the opening day of Remarkables Primary School.
Day-one Remarkables Primary School pupils (from left) Max Sinclair (6), of Quail Rise, Angus Thompson (6), of Lake Hayes, Stella Lonsdale-Hope (6), of Quail Rise, and Destiny Mikaere (6), of Frankton, will learn about nature as they watch their plants...
Queenstown's newest school, Remarkables Primary School, was officially opened yesterday by principal Debbie Dickson and pupil Stella Lonsdale-Hope, who cut the ribbon in front of more than 50 year 1 and 2 pupils, about 100 parents and grandparents, the school's 13 foundation staff, the establishment board of trustees, Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes and media.
The $17.3 million facility is the first state primary school to open in the lower South Island since 1981.
Photos by James Beech; prints available from otagoimages.co.nz.