A new teaching block and hall at Andersons Bay School have been in the pipeline since 2019.
After years of planning, applications and a period of uncertainty, it is finally ready for use and was officially opened yesterday.
Principal Pauline Simpson said to herald the new chapter for the school they were paying tribute to the past by displaying the history of the school since it was established in 1858.
‘‘We opened it up to everybody just because I think people still feel a real sense of community here ... it’s a school that you maintain your connection with.
‘‘We’re acknowledging our past pupils and our current pupils and then looking to the future with our new buildings and spaces.’’
As part of the opening, 97-year-old Joan Skinner, nee Harford, was invited to cut the cake and ribbon.
Mrs Skinner is one of the oldest — if not the oldest — former living pupils of the school.
Ms Simpson said it was great to celebrate with past, present and future pupils, as the core values of the school had not changed.
‘‘I don’t think the ethos of the school has changed over timed. The tone was set well over 100 years ago for the way the school is today.’’
The new classrooms and hall were great, Ms Simpson said.
The old hall, which was the original 1858 structure, was draughty, cold and had an echo to it.
The new spaces were more fit for purpose, she said.
Originally, the plans included a four-classroom teaching block and new large school hall to accommodate significant projected growth in the school’s catchment area.
However, plans were left up in the air in February 2024 after it was cut back to only include two classrooms and a hall the same size as the school’s current one.
The cuts were part of a nationwide cost-cutting exercise where about 20 schools’ development plans were placed in limbo due to the cost of delivery, changing roll forecasts and reprioritisation of funds.
The ministry was also putting a hold on ‘‘what-if projects’’.
Despite this, Ms Simpson was ecstatic with how it had turned out.
