Andersons Bay School pupil Cooper Smith, 5, and principal Pauline Simpson play with a ball in the school hall which is to be demolished. PHOTOS: STEPHEN JAQUIERY
Andersons Bay School had proposed a four-classroom teaching block with a large hall but in February last year that was cut back to two classrooms and a hall the same size as the school's current one.
The cut was part of a nationwide cost-cutting exercise which meant more than 100 classrooms across 20 schools were placed in limbo because of the cost of delivery, changing roll forecasts and reprioritisation of scarce funds.
Principal Pauline Simpson said the build was initially aimed at meeting anticipated roll growth and replacement of old buildings.
Ms Simpson said the ministry was no longer doing "what if"-type projects, so decided to withhold the part of the project that accommodated for the projected growth.
The ministry told her other schools in the area had the capacity to manage for roll growth.
Ms Simpson said she did ask for the new design to leave about 15m of space for two extra classroom should they need to be built in the future.
"We've tried to future-proof it as much as we can within the constraints of government funding.
The Andersons Bay School hall is to be demolished.
"It's for a like-for-like basis rather than a bigger basis."
Ms Simpson was initially frustrated with the design change.
However, she believed the ministry was doing what it could within its budget constraints.
"Since then, the communication has been better and we have got certainty now around what is happening."
The proposed design for Andersons Bay School's new two-classroom and hall block. IMAGE: SUPPLIED
Ms Simpson was hopeful work would begin in March.
The community would have a chance to say goodbye to the old hall on February 13 when a time capsule from 1996 would be opened.
Ms Simpson said while it was sad to see the old hall go, it was no longer fit for purpose.
