Rolls continue to soar at Tauranga's newest primary school

Taumata School was officially opened yesterday. Photo / George Novak

The roll has continued to grow at Tauranga's newest primary school in Pyes Pa, which held its official opening yesterday.

More than 30 more pupils have started at the flourishing new Taumata school since the beginning of Term 1 and the growth is only expected to increase.

Taumata School welcomed community and political leaders, parents and board members to the official opening yesterday morning.

The foundation pupils were all seated nicely for the ceremony with their foundation badges gleaming on their school uniforms.

Principal Gen Fuller said she was a proud principal and felt a strong sense of community had come together to make the school a success.

The current school roll was 181, 31 more pupils than at the start of the year, and she said she expected this growth to continue.

Throughout the term, more classrooms had been built with the school, which has capacity for 450 pupils.

The pupils sang two waiatas at the official opening ceremony. Photo / George Novak

After phase two was completed, 650 pupils could fill the school, she said.

With the current projections, Fuller said the school was expecting to reach about 230 pupils by the end of the year with ease.

"It's a beautiful day to celebrate the journey we've all been on to get here."

The primary school was catering for Years 1 to 6 pupils in the school zone this year, with Year 7s to be welcomed in 2020 and Year 8s in 2021.

Like any new school, the keyword was "foundation", with Fuller acknowledging all of the foundation board, teachers, parents and pupils.

The schools roll now sits at 181 pupils. Photo / George Novak

The room lit up with pride as the children as young as five stood up to sing two waiata for the guests and parents.

Politicians at the opening included Tauranga MP Simon Bridges, National education spokeswoman Nikki Kaye, local Labour List MP Jan Tinetti and Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller.

Bridges said he was thrilled that after the long journey to get the school up and running, they had finally got there.

Growth at The Lakes had been "massive" and Bridges said it was as if the "centre of gravity had moved to the area", including many "refugees from Auckland" who had come to their senses and moved to the "best city in New Zealand".

Principal Gen Fuller (left) and Tauranga MP Simon Bridges unveil a plaque to officially open the school. Photo / George Novak

Figures released to the Bay of Plenty Times under the Official Information Act showed $18m was allocated in 2017 for the new school.

At the ceremony, a special taonga was unveiled for the school, which was a large stone uncovered from kumara pits on the school site.

Bridges was given the task to unveil the school plaque, which he said he always struggled to do "gracefully", however it went to plan and the school was declared officially open.

Taumata School principal Gen Fuller with pupils Harrison Siebert, 5, and Aliah Masters, 5. Photo / Andrew Warner

School enrolments as at July 1, 2018:

Tauranga: 25,624

Bay of Plenty: 54,903

Source: Ministry of Education