CHILDREN of Highampton Primary School no longer have to work in cramped conditions ? and the staff are pretty happy as well, following the completion of an £82,000 extension giving extra classroom space and toilets and a staff and resources room.

Having to make do with one room, divided by a partition wall, to teach two classes, and a side room which doubled as a special needs area, resources and break room for staff, was getting difficult, especially when children had to disrupt each other?s lessons to go to the toilet.

An extension was always on the wish-list of staff and governors but the idea only became a realistic possibility two years ago when the Government made some money available direct to schools to support new buildings.

Highampton received £32,000 which was a major kick-start for their project and since then everyone involved in the school has been working hard to find the extra cash.

A grant of £13,330 from Devon County Council was the final boost they needed.

School administrator Sue Tidball said the impetus came after an extremely good Ofsted report which praised the teaching at the school but criticised the unsuitability of the building.

?The Ofsted inspectors said the staff were doing a brilliant job in terms of education but our premises were just not up to scratch,? she said.

?It was difficult to have music sessions with one class because the whole 38 pupils of the school would be disrupted.

?Now Key Stage One have their own building, life will be a lot easier and we can split the older children into two groups for literacy and numeracy.?

Highampton School was ranked among the top schools in the country by the chief inspector of Ofsted Mike Tomlinson in his annual report and the only key issue highlighted with the need for extra accommodation.

The school received praise for managing to keep education standards up during the foot and mouth crisis last year. It became one of the schools to benefit from a police fundraising campaign to help communities affected by the crisis.

Members of the business community, the police, county councillors, parents and governors were all at Highampton School on Monday to celebrate the opening of the extension.

The occasion was also to mark the retirement of chairman of governors Charles Inniss who had been instrumental in the new building campaign and had led the school body for 13 years.

Headteacher Jill Bevis said Mr Inniss had been ?unflappable and always understanding and reasonable?.

She said everyone was delighted with the wonderful new building which would greatly improve what the school could offer the children.

?It also gives the staff a place to relax and prepare resources and work with small groups,? she said.