Seven classrooms at a Dannevirke school have been closed over concerns about the integrity of the building that houses them.

Dannevirke South School principal Stephen Snell said he was informed on Friday about issues with the roof of the school's A block.

Staff spent the weekend making plans to house the more than 200 students normally taught in the building.

''Late last week we had a routine inspection of our buildings and a structural engineer found some serious issues with the structure of our Block A,'' Mr Snell said.

''Block A has seven classrooms and it's also our total administration area, our teacher resourcing area and it's also our library.

''That whole area is now closed.''

Parents of children in some classrooms were being asked to keep thier kids at home today while students were also being accommodated in the school hall and the remaining classrooms.

''We had 210 children who suddenly didn't have a classroom, Monday was really difficult for staff, they had to accommodate them in the hall for long periods and it was a wet, miserable day.

Arrangements were being made this week to find room to teach the school's 350 students. Up to three classrooms could be housed in the school's hall while others are being reallocated to different classrooms.

Mr Snell said negotiations were also underway with another school for some of South School's students to be taught off site. Portacoms were being brought in to house the admin area.

''This is a massive upheaval for not only the kids but teachers too.''

Mr Snell said the affected block was closed to all students with controlled access for teachers and staff to remove ''essential equipment''.

''Once that's done that block will be totally closed.''

Parents were being kept informed through daily newsletters, the school website and email. A public meeting will be held in the school hall on Thursday at 5.30pm.

''All of the feedback we've got (from parents) has been positive and thanking us for how we've dealt with this,'' Mr Snell said.

''The staff have just been absolutely amazing, they just got on with it. The kids are amazing... they're getting on with business as usual it's been really good.''

Mr Snell said by the end of the week they would have plans in place for where and how kids would be taught in the coming weeks.

It was ''too early'' to know whether Block A would be repaired or replaced as options were still being investigated.

- © Fairfax NZ News