C.B.H.S. building plan to proceed

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32639, 22 June 1971, Page 16

C.B.H.S. building plan to proceed

(From Our Ow» Reporter)

WELLINGTON, June 21.

The Government has approved the preparation of final drawings and a firm estimate of cost for major additions to Christchurch Boys’ High School and remodelling of the main block.

The Parliamentary Undersecretary to the Minister of Education (Mr Gair) said that while planning for a new classroom block at the school had been approved some time ago, requirements had changed considerably since then as emphasis was now placed not only on the reduction in class sizes generally, but more particularly on the specialised needs of senior

students. Christchurch Boys’ High School had 360 pupils in the sixth and seventh forms this

year from a total roll of 1086, and numbers of this order made very heavy demands on accommodation and staffing.

Planning could proceed immediately for a new block of advanced design to provide a team-teaching room, capable of seating 120 pupils, two ordinarv classrooms, one large classroom appropriately (serviced for possible future conversion for specialised 'language teaching, advanced

physics and chemistry laboratories as well as an advanced experiment area, an art and craft room with modelling bay and store, a large library with a mezzanine floor particularly well suited for senior-form study, seminar rooms and head of departments rooms, and a large senior-form common room.

The usual ancillary storage, cloak and toilet facilities would also be provided. Mr Gair said that as well as the new block the agreed scheme would include some remodelling to part of the existing main block at the school to provide improved staff and administrative facilities.

Designed by the Christchurch architectural firm of Hall and MacKenzie, the new block will blend with the old school block and will be built to the west of the existing buildings on an area at present occupied by a tennis court.