The South Wairarapa's secondary school, Kuranui College, continues its push to provide innovative 21st Century teaching with the completion of a modern, custom-built building to help deliver its science and mathematics curriculums.

The Ruamahanga science and mathematics building completes the first phase of a $1.8m rebuild. There are future plans to build two new art rooms and to demolish a second Nelson block over the course of the next three years.

"The building heralds the start of a new chapter in Kuranui's history," said Kuranui Principal, Geoff Shepherd. "The college is developing a strong reputation for delivering progressive teaching and learning, and it aims to continue to provide the best teaching in state-of-the-art classrooms. This building is the first step."

Mr Shepherd was keen for his staff to be involved right from the start of the rebuild. "Our staff are specialists in their subjects and have a day-to-day handle on what works and what doesn't in their own teaching spaces. It was important that they were part of the decision-making process from day one."

Led by the Kuranui Head of Science, Victoria Wish, science staff visited Albany Senior High School, Kiapara College and Flaxmere College to see what the buildings offered in terms of space, flexibility and efficiency. "It was a very positive experience, from having an opportunity to see how other science departments operated around the country to feeling personally involved in developing a space that we would all feel comfortable teaching in," explained Mrs Wish.

"After months of planning and visiting other schools I am very pleased with the way the new building looks. Myself, and the rest of the department are very excited about working in cutting-edge, custom-built laboratories, which lend themselves to teaching science in the 21st century.

"The main emphasis has been on functionality and flexibility: a mobile fume cupboard eliminates the need to have a fixed fume cupboard in every classroom, allowing the fume cupboard to be taken to individual work benches; there are plenty of points for water, gas and electricity, all easy to access and control; student bag storage makes it simply easier and safer to move around the classrooms; low voltage supply sockets at each bench connected to a main control box takes away the need for excessive control boxes; there are sliding whiteboards with storage space behind them and projectors that turn any whiteboard in any room into an interactive one.

"And the whole building is fully air-conditioned" added Mrs Wish.

The college is hoping the building will raise the profile of science and will be an incentive to the growing number of students opting for science at both Level 2 and 3. Currently, 14 students are studying at Level 3 in 2012, whilst 25, 26 and 27 are studying Biology, Physics and Chemistry at Level 2 respectively and the college expects to see at least a fifth of its Year 13 students continue with science in 2013.

The college has already invited the local primary schools to take part in a variety of science taster days and is hoping to continue its association with Wairarapa REAP (Rural Education Activities Programme) through facilitating science courses for primary students.

And what do the students think? Student science technician, Nathan Wride has the last word "Science is going to be even more fun now we have these awesome new labs!"