Latest news with #EricaStanford
RNZ News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Government shuts the door on open-plan classrooms
Education Minister Erica Stanford announced the move at Wellington's Newlands Intermediate School today. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii The government has called a halt to building open-plan classrooms, even though most teachers who actually use the structures believe their students benefit from them. The buildings - known variously as modern, flexible, or innovative learning environments - have attracted consistent criticism, with some schools spending their own funds remodelling the rooms to create separate classrooms. But surveys by the Council for Educational Research showed most teachers who worked in the structures liked them and believed their students benefited from learning in that kind of environment. At Wellington's Newlands Intermediate School today, Education Minister Erica Stanford said she had been thinking about the issue for a long time. "This government is calling time on open-plan classrooms. We will no longer be building those barn-yard-style open classrooms without any doors that separate classrooms," she said. Stanford said successive governments had been flip-flopping between open plan and single-cell classrooms for years. She said the big open spaces were too noisy and distracting for many children, and they would learn better in individual classrooms. "My message to parents is that your children will be learning in single-cell classrooms that are modular so there will be open-and-close sliding doors that will allow for those classrooms to become bigger for when events require," she said. "But when they are learning using explicit teaching, the new curriculum, the new maths books they will be learning in single-cell classrooms." Newlands Intermediate School principal Chris Els said modern learning environments had their place - but they had drawbacks too. "For neuro-diverse kids, kids that are struggling - really hard. Then you have your kids who know how to hide within the nooks and crannies of open learning spaces, so a lot relied on teachers to know their learner but you'd have the same in a single-cell. Personal preference, I like the idea of a flexible, open-up-close-when-you-can. It gives options," he said. Stanford visited the school to announced that it would get 10 new classrooms. Els said he did not know how often his teachers might want to open the glass doors the minister mentioned and turn their single-cell classrooms into a big open room. "You basically are trying to create an environment that best suits both student and teacher. So if it needs to open and they can work together, so be it," he said. "It depends on what the curriculum area is. If it needs quiet, the door gets closed and if that's the case those kids work within the single-cell." While Stanford said the overwhelming feedback from schools was that they did not like open plan rooms, NZ Council for Educational Research (NZCER) surveys showed the opposite. The council's 2019 survey of primary teachers found most of those who worked in modern learning environments enjoyed it and thought their teaching had improved, though most agreed some children find the rooms overwhelming. "Sixty-two percent of those who taught in an innovative learning environment enjoyed teaching in such an environment, and 55 percent thought their teaching had changed for the better," the survey report said. "Just over half thought they could cater for all students, and 45 percent thought that students were more engaged in the flexible learning environment than traditional classrooms, and 30 percent were neutral about this. But 78 percent of the teachers thought that some students find innovative learning environments overwhelming." The council's 2022 survey of secondary teachers found 49 percent enjoyed their innovative learning environment, 27 percent were neutral, and 24 percent did not enjoy it. Similar proportions agreed that their students enjoyed learning in the space and that it allowed them to teach in ways that benefited their students' learning. But they were less likely to agree that their space was well-designed for teaching and learning with 40 percent agreeing, 30 percent neutral and 30 percent disagreeing. Two-thirds percent agreed that some students found learning in an innovative learning environment overwhelming and 27 percent were neutral. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
14 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Government announces an end to open plan classrooms
The Government has announced an end to open plan classrooms. The initial concept began in 2011 under National's then Education Minister Hekia Parata. For a period, every new classroom had to be built open-plan, so up to 100 students could leaern in one space with 3 teachers collaboratively. Many schools still have them, but Education Minister Erica Stanford says the barn-like designs "aren't meeting the needs of students". Instead there will be a range of designs schools can choose from that are flexible, but not open plan. Principal of Albany Senior High School and the President of the Auckland Secondary Schools Principals Association Claire Amos spoke to Melissa Chan-Green. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
1News
14 hours ago
- Politics
- 1News
No more open-plan school classrooms to be built
The Government will stop building open-plan classrooms, the Minister of Education announced today. In a statement, Education Minister Erica Stanford said she had received "overwhelming feedback" from schools that the classrooms were not meeting the needs of students. "While open-plan designs were originally intended to foster collaboration, they have often created challenges for schools, particularly around noise and managing student behaviour.' Modern Learning Environments (MLEs), which utilise flexible layouts, fewer walls, and at times have multiple classes and teachers, were introduced by the Ministry of Education in 2011 under John Key's National Government. They were designed to promote collaboration and flexibility. 'In many cases, open-plan classrooms reduce flexibility, rather than enhance it. We have listened to the sector, and new classrooms will no longer be open plan,' Stanford said. ADVERTISEMENT Since being elected, Stanford said the Government had not designed or built any open-plan classes, other than those that had been specifically requested. All new classrooms would now be built using standard designs "that prioritise flexibility over open-plan layouts". "For example, the use of glass sliding doors mean spaces can be open when classes collaborate but can also close for focused learning. This approach ensures schools have fit-for-purpose environments that support a range of teaching and learning styles." Stanford also said the new classrooms would be "efficient and sustainable". She said the Government had lowered the average cost of a classroom by 28%, allowing for more to be built. "We're continuing to drive down costs so more Kiwi kids can access them, faster. In 2025, new classrooms cost on average $620,000 compared to $1.2 million at the end of 2023.' Stanford announced that two schools in Wellington would receive new classrooms as part of a $25 million targeted investment to address population growth. ADVERTISEMENT Newlands Intermediate would get 10 new classrooms, while Aotea College would receive 16. 'Aotea College is a prime example where existing open-plan classrooms did not support learning outcomes. The lack of functionality of the open design meant spaces could not be shared or multipurpose due to disruption and noise," Stanford said. Planning was underway for both projects, with construction expected to begin within the next 12 months.
Scoop
16 hours ago
- Business
- Scoop
Government Calls Time On Open-Plan Classrooms
Minister of Education The Government has put an end to building open-plan classrooms, ensuring all new classrooms are designed in a flexible way to ensure better student outcomes. 'Overwhelming feedback I've received from schools across New Zealand is open-plan classrooms aren't meeting the needs of students. While open-plan designs were originally intended to foster collaboration, they have often created challenges for schools, particularly around noise and managing student behaviour,' Education Minister Erica Stanford says. 'This Government is focused on raising achievement and closing the equity gap and an important part of our reform package is ensuring learning spaces are designed to improve student outcomes. 'In many cases, open-plan classrooms reduce flexibility, rather than enhance it. We have listened to the sector and new classrooms will no longer be open plan.' The Government has not designed and built open plan classes since being in office other than classrooms that have been specifically requested. All new classrooms will be built using standard designs that prioritise flexibility over open-plan layouts. For example, the use of glass sliding doors mean spaces can be open when classes collaborate but can also close for focused learning. This approach ensures schools have fit-for-purpose environments that support a range of teaching and learning styles. 'We are ensuring school property delivery is efficient and sustainable. We've lowered the average cost of a classroom by 28 per cent so we could deliver 30 per cent more classrooms last year compared to 2023. We're continuing to drive down costs so more Kiwi kids can access them, faster. In 2025, new classrooms cost on average $620,000 compared to $1.2 million at the end of 2023.' Wellington is the latest region to benefit from this, with a $25 million targeted investment into areas experiencing population growth. The schools receiving new classrooms are: Newlands Intermediate – 10 classrooms Aotea College – 16 classrooms 'Aotea College is a prime example where existing open-plan classrooms did not support learning outcomes. The lack of functionality of the open design meant spaces could not be shared or multipurpose due to disruption and noise. This investment will deliver new, standard teaching spaces that better meet the needs of both students and staff. 'Delivering these classrooms through repeatable designs and offsite-manufactured buildings also ensures we are achieving maximum value for money. Planning is already underway for these projects, with construction expected to begin within the next 12 months,' Ms Stanford says.
Otago Daily Times
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Erica Stanford pulls pin on open-plan classrooms
Education Minister Erica Stanford. Photo: RNZ The government will end the construction of open-plan classrooms in favour of a new "flexible" design. Education Minister Erica Stanford said open-plan designs were supposed to foster collaboration but created challenges around noise and managing student behaviour. "Overwhelming feedback I've received from schools across New Zealand is open-plan classrooms aren't meeting the needs of students," Stanford said. "This government is focused on raising achievement and closing the equity gap and an important part of our reform package is ensuring learning spaces are designed to improve student outcomes." New classrooms will be built using standard designs that prioritise flexibility, like the use of glass sliding doors that can open a class when it is time to collaborate and close it for focused learning. Shirley Boys' High School in Christchurch is spending $800,000 to convert their open plan classrooms, built in 2019, into single-cell rooms because to cut down on distractions. "In many cases, open-plan classrooms reduce flexibility, rather than enhance it. We have listened to the sector and new classrooms will no longer be open plan," Stanford said. She said the average cost of a classroom was coming down. "We've lowered the average cost of a classroom by 28 percent so we could deliver 30 percent more classrooms last year compared to 2023. We're continuing to drive down costs so more Kiwi kids can access them, faster. "In 2025, new classrooms cost on average $620,000 compared to $1.2 million at the end of 2023," Stanford said. The Wellington region will get $25 million of targeted investment in areas experiencing population growth. Newlands Intermediate will get 10 new classrooms, while Aotea College will get 16. Stanford said Aotea College was a prime example of where open-plan classrooms did not work. "The lack of functionality of the open design meant spaces could not be shared or multi-purpose due to disruption and noise. This investment will deliver new, standard teaching spaces that better meet the needs of both students and staff." Planning was already under way for these projects, with construction expected to begin within the next 12 months, Stanford said.
