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Our Campus
Clyde Quay School

We’re one of the oldest school sites in Wellington! Clyde Quay School was established in 1889 and used to be located near Clyde Quay on Wellington’s waterfront - hence our name.


Our campus is based across three levels bordering Elizabeth and Brougham Streets. CQS buildings and grounds are undergoing significant upgrades to improve and modernise our facilities for our students, teachers and staff.


While the government funds our buildings and provides limited grounds maintenance support, playground equipment, major improvements, and ongoing enhancement of our outdoor spaces are funded by the school community - through fundraising, grants, and parent contributions.


At Clyde Quay School, we're creating outdoor learning environments where our tamariki explore, connect, and grow. Every climbing frame, every shade sail, every garden bed has been made possible through our community working together - families, volunteers, grant funders, and local supporters all playing their part.

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Campus Upgrades: Our Progress to Date

The journey so far: Since 2022, our community has been working hard to transform our campus through strategic planning, dedicated fundraising, and collective action. Here's what we've achieved together - and what's next.


2022: A group of passionate parents and teachers formed a playground working committee. Through school fundraisers, our community raised $15,000 to develop a comprehensive master plan.


2023: We listened. Over 200 students told us what they wanted and needed from their outdoor spaces. Teachers shared their vision. We combined this with research on play, learning, and child development. Local architecture firm Studio Pacific Architecture (including some of our own parents and alumni) brought it all together into a master plan approved by the Board.


2024-2025: With incredible dedication from volunteer parents, we've been making that vision real. We're halfway there - and what's been achieved is already changing daily life at CQS.

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2026 and beyond: The momentum is building - see more information below.

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Masterplan

Ministry of Education funded work


Work on our buildings is mostly funded through government operational budgets:

 

  • Pohutukawa classroom rebuild (completed 2021)

  • Library window replacement (completed 2024)

  • Rimu internal layout and renovation (completed 2024)

  • Karaka and the Hall external cladding and re-roofing (completed 2025)

  • Pōhutukawa Block partial re-roofing (Term 1, 2026) - Essential maintenance for weather protection

  • Exterior painting programme (planned Summer 2026) - Keeping our campus fresh and welcoming.

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These are examples of building maintenance the Ministry supports. Everything beyond this - the improvements that make CQS special - comes from our community.

  • A new CQS site masterplan was delivered by SPA and the playground working group, and approved by the Board of Trustees in 2023.  This plan reimagines our school layout to improve sports and recreation spaces that meet the needs of our school community in 2024 and beyond.  

  • The multi-year programme of work is being led by the playground working group, made up of parents, board members and teachers, but is very much reliant on a wider group of parents, major fundraising via grants and monies raised by Whānau and Friends (WAF) and pro bono support.

  • CQS does not receive funding to enhance our outdoor grounds and facilities other than a minimal groundskeeping and maintenance budget.  The masterplan projects are phased and are school led - which means we need to raise the funds and contract the works ourselves.  

  • They are closely linked to our major fundraising activity being led by the playground working group (parent volunteers and staff) and WAF, and supported by the school board.  

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School Community and WAF funded projects

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Harakeke Playground (Stage 1 Completed 2023)

Our junior learners now have a reimagined play space designed with their input - the first stage of our playground master plan brought to life. This project saw the play space extended to provide a purpose designed play based educational space for our new entrants.
Huge thanks to: Four Winds Foundation, The Garden Company Ltd, Lowe & Co Realty, Bone & Lee Plumbing, Construct Group. Many thanks to the parent volunteers who worked on grant applications, design and contracting, and who helped assemble the lovely planters and playhouse!

Elizabeth Street Wall Artwork (Completed 2024)

Whanau & Friends (our PTA) secured a Creative NZ grant that allow our students to work alongside a mana whenua artist Ben Buchanan (link to WAF page) to create stunning artwork for our external school wall on Elizabeth Street. This collaborative project deepened our tamariki's connection to place and cultural identity, while transforming our street presence into a celebration of who we are as a community.

Hall Move, Upgrade and Extension (Stage 2: Completed 2025)

Our relocated and upgraded hall has quickly become the heart of our school community - hosting assemblies, performances, kapa haka, and events. With enhanced acoustics, new bathrooms and kitchen space and entrances that welcome all, it's transformed how we gather and celebrate.


What made it possible:


Community Grants: Lotteries Community Facilities, New Zealand Community Trust; Major Fundraisers: Whānau and Friends of CQS first Taylor Swift Raffle; Local business sponsors: Lowe and Co, Buoy Salon and Spa, Tonkin & Taylor; CQS parent volunteers and contributors!

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Multisport Turf Project (Stage 2: Completed 2025 - Early 2026)

We love sport at CQS! Alongside PE, our tamariki are thriving basketball, netball, futsal, football and cricket players. The masterplan recognises that they needed dedicated all-weather space to train, play, and develop their skills year-round. Our new multisport turf delivers exactly that. Maycroft Construction has completed remediation, resurfacing, and fencing - we;re now awaiting final turf installation for Term 1, 2026.


What made it possible:


Community Grants - Four Winds Foundation, Lion Foundation, Grassroots Trust Central

Fundraising - Whānau and Friends of CQS second Taylor Swift Raffle, Local business sponsors - Lowe and Co, Buoy Salon and Spa, Tonkin & Taylor, CQS parent volunteers and contributions.

Stage 3: 2026 Projects

Hall Kitchen Fitout 

Target: $25,000 | Status: Active fundraising (Donate to Kitchen - GoFundMe Link)

 

A fully equipped kitchen will unlock our hall's potential for community dinners, cultural
celebrations, fundraising events, and shared kai. It's the missing piece that turns our beautiful
space into a true community hub.

Lower & Upper School Playground Redevelopment

Target: ~$100,000 | Status: Design underway, 30%+ funds raised, Active fundraising


Exciting design work is progressing for creative, accessible outdoor learning spaces tailored to
our junior and middle schoolers' needs. Recent fundraising success (including the White Lotus raffle raising ~$20,000) has built initial momentum.

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What's next: Continued fundraising through 2026 to complete this transformational project.

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Mana Whenua Artist Engagement

Status: Planning phase

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Building on the powerful learning from our 2024 Elizabeth Street wall project, we're planning
further collaboration with mana whenua artists in 2026. This ongoing partnership will continue to
deepen our community's understanding of the land we learn on, strengthen our bicultural
identity, and create meaningful connections between our tamariki and the stories of this place.

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General entranceway and grounds improvements 

Status: Ongoing


A rolling series of upgrades to entranceways, social spaces and gardens. Yet to be detailed, but likely to happen as a series of smaller projects alongside major works, where time/funding permits. Refurbished outdoor social spaces for middle and senior school students, review of sun shades placement.


North facing seating steps south of the hall create a central space with shade from the existing trees and sun shade. The seats overlook handball courts, and a flexible school community space.

The Small School That Could... With Your Help

Completing our vision for inspiring outdoor spaces depends on continued community support. Progress to date has required extraordinary effort from a dedicated group of volunteer parents. To finish what we've started - and to maintain these spaces for years to come - we need more families to join in.

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Ways to Contribute:

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  • Donate to current projects (link to kitourkitchen or school donation information)

  • Fundraise - host an event, contribute items for raffles

  • Apply for grants - help us access funding sources

  • Volunteer time - working bees, project coordination, skills and trades

  • Spread the word - share our story, connect us with sponsors


Donate to our School Playground Funds | Join WAF (link to WAF page)

Thank You

None of this happens without you. Special recognition to:

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  • Whānau and Friends of Clyde Quay School - Leading fundraising efforts including legendary Taylor Swift and White Lotus raffles

  • CQS School Board and Playground Committee - Strategic vision and countless volunteer hours

  • Grant funders: One Foundation, Four Winds Foundation, New Zealand Community Trust, Lion Foundation, Grassroots Trust Central, Lotto Communities Facilities Fund, TG McCarthy Trust

  • Local sponsors: Lowe and Co, Buoy Salon and Spa, Tonkin & Taylor, Studio Pacific Architecture

  • Parents who contribute skills: Our gardening volunteers, trades experts, grant writers, event organisers

  • Every family who has donated, fundraised, or volunteered 

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