Click here for the full list of affected schools
KEY POINTS:
The Ministry of Education has identified 36 schools it believes have buildings that leak - two-thirds of which are in Auckland.
The number is a huge jump from March, when up to 14 schools were under the spotlight, and officials are calling for a national survey of school buildings as more problems are expected to be found.
The ministry has started legal action to recover almost $7 million in costs of repairing four schools it claims have leaky building syndrome.
The group of four is believed to include the 24-classroom "E" block at Mt Albert Grammar, due to be fixed next year.
A ministry spokesman said the investigation was complex and in its infancy, so it could not yet be said which of the schools had buildings suspected of having leaky-building syndrome, and which simply leaked.
The ministry's implementation manager of schooling property, Brian Mitchell, said any health and safety issues at each school were fixed immediately to protect students.
"The ministry is being proactive in identifying leaky building issues and getting corrective action under way," he said.
Problems with buildings at Mt Albert Grammar, Macleans College, Edendale and Glen Innes Primary Schools and Shelly Park School - all in the Auckland area - have been well documented.
An updated list released to the Herald yesterday showed Botany Downs Secondary College, Auckland Girls Grammar and a host of North Shore schools were among those newly added.
Botany Downs Secondary College principal Mike Leach said it was hoped a $50,000 external review of the school's first stage would begin before the end of the year.
He said the gymnasium and drama room - opened in 2004 - leaked through the floor in heavy rain.
"If it comes heavy from the south our drama room leaks, if it comes heavy from the north our gym leaks," said Mr Leach.
"We think it is because the outside concrete is too high and it [the water] has just nowhere to go except into the school building."
Northcote College principal Vicki Barrie said the school found problems with a four-classroom science block, constructed about three or four years ago.
"It's distressing to see a water stain on a new ceiling and obviously it is always investigated," she said.
"There are always issues with new buildings that need ironing out, so initially we weren't that concerned - but then there were some things in that initial investigation that made us think it was prudent to follow it up."
She said remedial work would be done but the timeframe was not known.
"There's been a reasonably comprehensive report done for the ministry and they will handle the process from here."
LEAKY LIST
Schools identified as having buildings that leak:
Otumoetai College, Tauranga
Paengaroa School, Paengaroa
Selwyn Ridge School, Tauranga
Tahatai Coast School, Tauranga
Tauranga Girls High, Tauranga
Te Kau ki Papamoa Primary School, Tauranga
Te Puke High, Te Puke
New Plymouth Girls High, New Plymouth
Ahipara School, Ahipara
Auckland Girls Grammar, Auckland
Avondale Intermediate, Auckland
Bailey Rd School, Auckland
Botany Downs Secondary College, Auckland
Edendale School, Auckland
Glen Innes School, Auckland
Kaikohe East School, Kaikohe
Kaitaia Intermediate, Kaitaia
Macleans College, Auckland
Mt Albert Grammar, Auckland
Murrays Bay Intermediate, Auckland
Murrays Bay School, Auckland
Northcote College, Auckland
One Tree Hill College, Auckland
Otahuhu Intermediate, Auckland
Oteha Valley Primary School, Auckland
Pakuranga College, Auckland
Papatoetoe East School, Auckland
Pinehill School, Auckland
Pomaria School, Auckland
Randwick Park, Auckland
Rowandale School, Auckland
Shelly Park Primary, Auckland
Summerland Primary, Auckland
Swanson School, Auckland
Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Nga Maungarongo, Auckland
Longbeach School, Ashburton district
SOURCE: Ministry of Education
