Classroom and Turf Project
As we celebrate our 110th year, Scots College is proud to announce an exciting new development that will shape everyday life at the College for years to come.
Designed with our students at heart, this project brings new learning spaces and a much anticipated all-weather turf to our campus, enhancing how we learn, play, and connect as a community.
Recently, the College has grown significantly, and this development ensures the facilities required to cater for a roll of 1200 students. Our aim is not to increase the roll further, but to provide an excellent experience for the Staff and students who attend the College. Currently our roll is 1170 students, and we do not intend to grow beyond 1200.
As Scots continues to grow and evolve, this development represents a thoughtful and future-focussed investment in the quality of our learning environment. It reflects our commitment to providing spaces that support wellbeing, inspire excellence, and ensure students have the room they need to thrive, every day and in all seasons.
What Are We Doing?
Over two stages, the project will deliver:
Stage One
- Five new classrooms to relieve pressure and support flexible learning.
- A dedicated bus zone, which will improve student safety and College traffic.
Stage Two
- An all-weather turf to keep sport on campus and build community.
- Landscaping, including a memorial garden
Timeframe
The board has agreed to undertake Stage 1 of the project, which will commence in March 2026 with completion expected by April 2027. This phase will see the classroom block constructed on the area bordering the Foundation Courts, as well as the development of the bus lane parallel to Monorgan Road, including some work to the College’s main entry and exit. Please note that the Plimmer Memorial Gates will remain unchanged. We have raised $2.7m to enable this work to begin.
Further fundraising for the turf and associated ground works will support the commencement of Stage 2. We aim to begin this stage in late 2027, with a planned completion date of April 2028. This timeline is dependent upon further fundraising to assist in covering the project costs. Stage 2 also includes the creation of a new Garden of Honour, designed to better recognise those who have served the College.
Excellence, Supported by Design
During this significant period of growth, we have responded to the evolving needs of our community and the increasing demand for places at the College. Demand now outstrips availability, underscoring our focus on the IB programmes, co-education, expanding specialised learning options, and continuing to deliver excellence across all aspects of school life.
This project is a direct reflection of that excellence. It will provide purpose-built, multi-use spaces, including modern, light-filled classrooms and a high quality turf, creating flexible and inspiring environments for learning, creativity, and sport.
This additional space will comfortably support our roll while offering greater flexibility in teaching and timetabling, reinforcing our commitment to smaller class sizes, and enabling future infrastructure upgrades across the wider campus.
Enhancing the Scots College Day-to-Day Experience
These new facilities are designed for everyday use by all students, from Junior to Senior School. They will support a wide range of subjects and learning styles, with spaces that enable smaller classes, mentoring, collaboration, and focussed learning.
By providing much needed breathing room, the development will ease pressure on existing facilities and contribute to a calmer, more settled daily rhythm, supporting wellbeing and stability for students and staff alike.
The outdoor turf will unlock reliable, all-weather play and sport, offering a high-quality recreation space less affected by Wellington’s conditions. It will also reduce the need for students to travel for sports training, saving time and money for our community. Framed by our iconic pōhutukawa trees, it will be a place where students can enjoy lunchtimes outdoors, participate in sports year-round, and host fixtures on site.
Looking Ahead
This development reflects careful stewardship of the school, ensuring that learning, wellbeing, and opportunity at Scots are supported by spaces and infrastructure that truly serve our students.
It ensures that growth is matched with space, that excellence is supported by the right facilities, and that the school continues to deliver the small-class, high engagement environment where students can thrive and reach their potential.
If this project inspires you and you’d like to explore how you might support it, we’d love to hear from you. Contact Sarah Mine, Director of Advancement, at sarah.mine@scotscollege.school.nz.
