A $1.5 million project is underway to revert Rangiora High School's modern open learning space to single cell classrooms.

Its giant classroom fitting 500 students opened in 2017 but was found difficult to work in, due to noise, visual distractions, and fluctuating temperatures.

Principal Bruce Kearney says they're determined the open structure doesn't suit their vision for the school.

"A lot of people talked about modern learning environments as being open barns- and they're not. What they're supposed to be is providing the ability for teachers, for students, classes, schools to be flexible."

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