Riverlands School has opened the doors to three new classrooms.
The school is holding an open afternoon for family and neighbours on Wednesday from 12.30pm to 4pm to show off the new resources.
The school's development process, which began in 2007, involved building three new classrooms and moving four existing classrooms. While that was happening some classes were held in the library and the school hall, but those classes were able to move into their new classrooms at the start of term four.
Former principal David Petrie sold his neighbouring property to the Ministry of Education to be used to increase the school's size after the ministry deemed it to be smaller than required under its guidelines when its roll, classroom space, land and other factors were considered.
Riverlands has a roll of 220 children.
Principal David Parsons said despite the ongoing disruption throughout the school, the children coped well with the changes and enjoyed watching the builders and heavy machinery at work.
The relocation of the four classrooms gave students extra space to play and a community trust grant also allowed the school to install an all-weather court, he said.
The school was given about $500,000 by the ministry to fund new buildings as part of the School Property Guide Deficiencies Programme in 2007.
Mr Parsons said shortly after the grant was announced, Mr Petrie and his wife offered to sell their adjacent home to the school to increase the school's size.
The school was already planning new classrooms, but plans were put on hold until the property was sold, he said. Although the major work had been completed at the school, there was still minor work which needed to be completed such as laying the new court surface, he said.
The next major project was to turn the orchard on Mr Petrie's old property into an edible garden.
SIMON WONG - The Marlborough Express
New digs: Riverlands School is celebrating the opening of three new classrooms. Principal Dave Parsons with Room 6, front row from left, Alicia James, 8, Kaito Berry, 9, Henry Aitken, 9, Henry Cosgrove, 8, Emma van Helewijn, 8, and back row from left, Adam McKenzie, 9, Andre Heebard, 8, Bayley O'Hagan, 9, Ethan Delamare, 8, and Ryan Palmer, 8, outside the new classroom
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