Whenuapai School closes playgrounds after audits, seeking community support

Whenuapai School has had to close its two playgrounds due to health and safety concerns. Photo / Supplied

An Auckland primary school that has had to close two of its playgrounds is seeking community support to keep them open.

In an email sent to parents, Whenuapai School principal Raewyn Matthys-Morris said it was with "great sadness" they had to close the playgrounds, due to health and safety concerns raised in an audit.

"This has left a big hole in our school as every school needs a playground or two, for their children to enjoy and burn off energy," Matthys-Morris said.

Both playgrounds were now taped off and the school planned to get quotes for either repairing or a full replacement.

"To get our playgrounds back will require huge community support," Matthys-Morris said.

The school had launched a Givealittle page, which has so far raised $1535.

The Herald has approached the school for comment.

Timatanga Community School, an integrated Year 1-8 school also in Whenuapai, had been without a playground for the past two years.

Principal Eve Tonkin said their proprietors had decided to close their playground after an audit came back indicating several things needed to be addressed to bring it up to new safety standards.

"They decided to close it as they did not want to be liable if somebody got hurt."

Tonkin said they had been fundraising for a new playground ever since.

"We are still a long way off, though. It is really hard on children, especially those with special learning needs, not having a playground, an area outside to stimulate and engage them."

Tonkin said schools in lower-decile areas were harder hit when playgrounds needed repairing or replacing.

"Schools in high-decile areas have more access to donations. It does not mean they are better schools, just that in lower-decile areas you don't have that wealth to draw on for things like repairing, maintaining and replacing playgrounds.

"And often in lower-decile areas there are a lack of playgrounds to start with. We are fortunate as we are out in the country, so we have lots of space."

However, she felt the number one priority was still to reopen their playground.

"There are a lot of things funding could be increased for, playgrounds are one of them, but a lack of support staff, especially for special needs, would be the immediate first."

Ministry of Education head of education infrastructure service Kim Shannon said playgrounds were a school's responsibility.

"Schools are responsible for designing, building, upgrading and maintaining playgrounds and providing playground equipment."

They were required to meet New Zealand Standard 5828:2015: Playground equipment and surfacing, but it was up to the schools to determine how the equipment was checked and that it met the standard.

The Ministry of Education did not record playgrounds closed due to safety concerns, she said.

Playsafe Consulting principal inspector Adam Stride said they recommended schools undertook daily or weekly inspections, conducted an annual comprehensive safety audit, a head impact service test every two years, and regular maintenance.