Tahatai Coast School's leaky classrooms going

New Zealand's leakiest school is beginning the second stage of major repairs on its water-logged buildings.

Yesterday Tahatai Coast School principal Jenny Griggs and board of trustees chair Andrew Hitchfield, oversaw the start of demolition of 11 classrooms.

In their place will be a two-storey, 18-classroom block, expected to be constructed by the end of the year. Tahatai Coast School, in Papamoa, opened in 1997 and leaks emerged straight away.

By 2009 every classroom was affected and prefabs had to be moved on to the school property.

Mrs Griggs was delighted demolition of the classrooms had begun and was expected to be finished by the time school goes back on January 31. The contract has been awarded to Naylor Love.

In 2010, the Tahatai Coast School hall, the two-storey "tower block" and rooms one to four, were repaired. The school library, which is still in use, will be repaired at the end of the rebuild.