Calmer, Quieter Classrooms – As Walls Go Up

Press Release – New Zealand GovernmentAt the end of 2025, the Ministry of Education launched the Modifying Open Plan Classrooms Initiative and invited schools to register their interest in reinstating classroom walls. Hon Erica StanfordMinister of EducationNearly 200 schools have begun the process of replacing open-plan classrooms with enclosed learning spaces to create quieter, calmer spaces more suited for learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced today. “When I began visiting schools, teachers consistently told me how difficult it was to teach in open-plan classrooms, and parents also raised strong concerns. “At the end of 2025, the Ministry of Education launched the Modifying Open Plan Classrooms Initiative and invited schools to register their interest in reinstating classroom walls. “Quieter classrooms also better support neurodiverse learners and students who need calmer learning environments.