Specialist day school surprised and ‘delighted’ by further expansion
Friday, 12 June 2026
The only specialist day school in the top of the South Island has been pushing for more classroom space at its new base in Richmond, to reduce its burgeoning wait list.
But Nelson-based Maitai School principal Janet Watt was “quite surprised” when she heard last week that the school for children with complex needs would get two more classrooms.
“There was never any certainty that we were going to be funded for those.
“[We’re] delighted … it’s a huge step forward for our community.”
Education Minister Erica Stanford announced the development, as part of a $62.5 million package for new classrooms and school upgrades across the South Island.
Also included in the package were two new Maitai School satellite classrooms at Springlands School in Blenheim; the first specialist provision in Marlborough.
The Maitai School developments could increase the specialist school’s roll from 60 to just over 90, dependent on the scope of the designs, Watt said.
It gave more families the choice of specialist education, with school’s waiting list having risen to over 40 in 2026, from 10 in 2024, she said.
“These additional learning spaces will make a meaningful difference to students and families across our region, helping ensure children can access specialist education closer to home and within supportive, purpose-built environments.”
Four classrooms are currently under construction at the school’s new base on Salisbury Rd, which could accommodate 24 students in total.
The new funding meant another classroom block could now be built on the site, with the school having requested a block that could cater for a further 16 students.
The school has three satellite units at schools in Nelson and Richmond, which were full.
A rebuild of its base was first mooted over 10 years ago to replace its outdated Nelson facility.
The new facility is due to open at the Salisbury Rd site early in 2027.
Watt was awaiting information about a timeline for the two new classrooms, but hoped they would also be built this year.
That would help save on costs, with builders already on site, and would avoid disruption for children once in the new base, she said.
Once a timeframe was known, the school would start to work with the Education Ministry to identify which families to approach, to let them know a space was available, Watt said.
Construction was well underway on the base, which sat on the same site as residential specialist school, Salisbury School, the hub for RTLB (Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour), Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education New Zealand and the Blind Low Vision Network New Zealand.
A roof had just been put on Maitai School’s whānau block (which included the school hall, sensory room and therapy space), and framing erected for the admin block and learning spaces.
“It’s really exciting,” Watt said.
The school hoped construction would start soon on the satellite classrooms at Blenheim primary, Springlands School, with a specialist unit having been planned for Marlborough for a number of years, she said.
Springlands School principal Hamish Stuart said the facility couldn’t come soon enough.
“In the past, there have been families that have moved … to either Nelson or to Christchurch, so that their children have been able to access education.
“That is a real shame. This is going to benefit all of the schools in Marlborough immensely, and our whānau.”
Maitai School board presiding member, Koren Rangitutia said the announcement represented hope for many whānau.
It reflected the value of strong partnerships between schools, communities, education leaders, Government and Iwi, she said.
“We are extraordinary lucky to have such treasured and meaningful relationship with manawhenua who have been staunch advocates of our tauira, their whānau and our school.”