An Auckland school evacuated students for an hour as fire crews rushed to extinguish a blaze that broke out in a classroom.

Saint Kentigern College in Auckland’s Pakūranga said all students were safe and those with exams, due to start at 2pm, continued with their tests once the fire was extinguished.

Parents had been notified of the incident, which was reported to authorities at 1.33pm via an alarm system.

Five crews from Mt Wellington, Howick, Ōtara, Papatoetoe and Remuera were called to the blaze, which Fire and Emergency New Zealand said was contained to a classroom.

On arrival, crews noted there was a “large plume of smoke”, Fire and Emergency New Zealand told the Herald.

A fire at Pakūranga's Saint Kentigern College.

A parent told the Herald they had seen video footage showing smoke billowing from a building on the school grounds. They said that their child was among the students evacuated to the field.

A fire has broken out at Pakūranga's Saint Kentigern College.

Video posted to social media showed students filming the incident on their phones as they made their way across the grounds.

The college, a co-educational private school, has a roll of about 2300 students.