Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye and Ormiston Primary School leader of learning Heath McNeil with a plaque commemorating the official opening of the school.

A place for fostering young minds in one of Auckland's fastest growing areas is officially open.

Ormiston Primary School has been operating since February but was officially unveiled at a ceremony attended by Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye.

She says investment in education in the Ormiston area is "absolutely a priority".

"It's part of one of the biggest growth spurts in Auckland and we're investing a lot in the schooling here.

"We can see the school is incredibly progressive. The cultural diversity is hugely significant and an advantage long term, and it is a very special school on a number of levels."

The $17.5 million school is home to a satellite unit of the Kelston Deaf Education Centre that Kaye says will give all students a "real edge in the future" and provide hearing-impaired students an opportunity to be included.

Current enrolment is at 170 students, and associate leader of learning Diana Wilkes says the current build will allow for the roll to grow to 700.

"We're excited about the potential for a real community campus. We have a provision for an early childhood centre at our school and we're hopeful of providing a seamless transition between all the schools in this area."

The terminology used at Ormiston Primary School is unconventional.

Students are referred to as learners, teachers as learning coaches, the principal as the leader of learning and classrooms as habitats.

Wilkes says this is a conscious effort to fulfil the school's founding principles.

"We really wanted to honour our vision and wanted to challenge the way things are done.

"Cultivating our own vernacular challenges and raises questions and that's what we want.

"Our learning coaches are so much more than just teachers, they offer pastoral care, they motivate and inspire, they do stand in front of the class and teach but that's not all that they do."

Kaye believes the approach encourages more student involvement.

"What we heard from [leader of learning] Mr McNeil is really that ability to put young people at the heart of what they're doing and potentially not have all of the hierarchies that can exist in some schools, so i think the language is quite important."