📋 Tender Overview
Nearly 200 schools have begun the process of replacing open-plan classrooms with enclosed learning spaces to create quieter, calmer spaces more suited for learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced today.
When I began visiting schools, teachers consistently told me how difficult it was to teach in open-plan classrooms, and parents also raised strong concerns.
At the end of 2025, the Ministry of Education launched the Modifying Open Plan Classrooms Initiative and invited schools to register their interest in reinstating classroom walls. A total of 193 schools responded.
As of June 2026, the Ministry has completed assessments for 46 schools as the first step, with modifications finished at six.
Schools that have had walls reinstated are reporting overwhelmingly positive feedback.
Teachers say there is less noise and fewer distractions, stronger student concentration and engagement, and more flexibility in how they teach.
Quieter classrooms also better support neurodiverse learners and students who need calmer learning environments.
Children cannot be expected to learn well when surrounded by noise and distractions.
By the end of the year, at least 38 schools will have received modifications.
The Ministry of Education has also stopped funding new open-plan classroom developments.
The six schools with completed modifications are:
Beckenham Te Kura o Puroto
Foxton Beach School
Horotiu School
Karamea Area School
Levin East School
Nelson College for Girls
