BUILDING work has begun on a new £2.6-million primary school for Chagford.

The first turf was cut at a ceremony last week celebrated by Chagford Primary pupils, governors, staff and members of the community.

This scheme, which will be completed on the current school site, is part of the Government’s ‘Priority School Building Programme’, transform-ing some of the most run-down schools in the country — ensuring children and young people are being taught in an environment where they can fulfil their potential.

Within the current programme of Education Skills Funding Agency projects, this  represents one of only eight successful bids, submitted by Devon County Council for replacement schools, in the whole of the county.

Liz Wiseman, headteacher at Chagford Primary School said: ‘Funding cuts in education make it even more important that we spend every pound of school funding in the classroom, and not on renovating outdated buildings that are no longer fit for purpose.

‘We want to ensure the ongoing viability of rural education in our communities. This is a huge step in ensuring that outcome.

‘Staff and pupils are very excited about the next stage in our school’s development. We also have ambitious plans to develop our wonderful grounds after the new building opens, including creating a multi-use games area on site.’

Staff governor Lee Billinghurst said that a recent visit to South Molton Junior School, which has just opened a similar sized new school under the Education Skills Funding Agency programme, was very helpful in visualising the new space. Lee said: ‘All the classrooms were bright, airy, spacious and had great acoustics. Their hall was a similar size to our new hall, and was much larger than our existing space. This is good news for our pupils, as well as our community.’

County Councillor for Hatherleigh and Chagford James McInnes said: ‘I’m pleased the building work is starting. This will secure high quality education facilities in Chagford for the next 50 years. A great deal of work has gone into this project from governors and parents.’

Operations director Brian Rice said: ‘Kier are delighted to be delivering this new school. The building will provide high quality new teaching and learning spaces for the current and future staff and pupils of Chagford as well as providing facilities to benefit the community.’

Work will begin in earnest over the summer holidays and the new 210 capacity primary school plus nursery school, including a purpose-built foundation stage unit for two to five year olds, is due to open in September 2018. The existing school will then be demolished and the full grounds will be reinstated with the football pitch and track.

The ambitious scheme was given the go-ahead from Dartmoor planners earlier this year, though not without controversy. There were 56 letters of objection sent in, though there were also 55 letters of support.