Students from Greenpark Primary School's room 19 turned up to school on Monday morning to find their classroom gutted by fire.
The fire was extinguished by fire fighters just over an hour before students were scheduled to start their Monday morning lessons in the classroom.
Greenpark Primary School principal Graeme Lind says it is extremely fortunate the fire occurred while staff were present at the school.

Tauranga station officer Nigel Liddicoat sifts through debris after a fire in a classroom at Greenpark Primary School in Greerton.

'It was lucky the fire was confined to the one classroom. We have to be grateful it happened as we were coming to work.The classroom is connected to five other classrooms so we could have lost the whole block,” says Graeme.
Assistant caretaker Dave Watson was the first person to spot the fire as he was wind-blowing leaves near the classroom at about 7.10am.
'I just looked over and there was a big red glow. I could see flames flying right out of the classroom,” says Dave.
He says he received a phone call on his mobile phone from the head caretaker about a separate issue, but immediately told him to ring the fire service.
Tauranga station officer Nigel Liddicoat says fire investigations still need to be done but it appears the source of the fire was an inbuilt wall heater at the front of the classroom.
'There was heavy smoke coming out of the classroom when we arrived and on entry into the classroom there was a fire in the middle of the room,” says Nigel.
He has suspicions smoke could have been building up in the classroom for several hours before the fire ignited.
Graeme says the 26 children from room 19 will be temporarily relocated to the school hall for their lessons.