GRAYSHOTT Primary School will soon be reaping the benefits of a £525,000 extension thanks to a grant from Hampshire County Council to replace their temporary classrooms. The county council will be contributing £365,000 to the school renovation costs to build a new single-storey extension to replace its 30-year-old temporary classrooms.

The extension will house a multipurpose classroom for IT and music, a community room to be used for after-school activities and new administration facilities. Headteacher Jon Hills is thrilled to receive this support from the council and for the development to be finally going ahead.

"Obviously we are delighted that the grant has gone through as it is a plan from ages ago," Mr Hills told The Herald.

"The school governors talked about the need for extra space and we decided to think big to maximise the benefit to the children.

"Hampshire County Council also decided that our temporary classrooms were past their sell-by date and that we should replace like for like so with the help from the council there was the idea that this could really happen.

"The grant will be used by the key stage one classes to bring them together to benefit from extra security, the sharing of resources and a new learning environment.

"So we can now get rid of the grotty 30-year- old temporary classrooms and replace them with brand new classrooms where the children are safely together in 21st century learning accommodation and the children are very excited about it.

"We also have the exciting new project of the community learning room so the grant is really a stepping stone to new things."

As previously report by The Herald, the plans include the construction of a new facility to be used both during and after school by children, parents and the wider community.

Community information computer technology facilities with wireless laptops and interactive white boards for up to 30 people will be available.

It will also have a sprung floor to accommodate for physical education, dance, drama, music and aerobics. It will also house a kitchen for cookery classes, toilet facilities and allow for disabled access.

Subject to the necessary planning approvals work on site could start as early as September. "The work is planned to start in early September and finish in May 2006," Mr Hills said.

The removal of the temporary classroom was deemed a high priority by Hampshire County Council.

"Pupils and staff at Grayshott Primary School will really benefit from these new facilities, as will local people who will have the use of the community room," said the leader of the Hampshire County Council, Ken Thornber.

"It is also good to see the removal of another temporary building as part of the county council's ongoing programme of improvements to Hampshire schools."