A SCHOOL is celebrating after being granted permission to construct a new building.

Pupils, staff and trustees at Mrs Ethelston's Primary Academy are delighted to have been given the go-ahead for the new building next to Uplyme Village Hall, on the Dorset-Devon border.

Trustees at the school have been working to secure the outline planning permission for the new building, due to severe lack of space at the current site.

The Trustees purchased the land next to the village hall and are now keen to push the project further.

A group of trustees, parents, staff and children went to support the planning application being dealt with.

Following the decision to grant outline permission, planners granted special permission for the children to speak in support of the application, and were very impressed by the children’s eloquent speeches.

The children were able to learn how planning applications were decided and are now planning to recreate this in the classroom.

Executive Head of Mrs Ethelston's Primary Academy, Andrea Rice, said: “We are delighted to have been granted outline planning permission.

"Although we already provide a very high standard of education, a new school building would enable us to provide so many more opportunities, particularly with sport and outdoor activities, and the space to do many things that other schools take for granted.

"We would like to thank all of the local people who have given their time to support us with this.”

The trustees will now consider ways to obtain funding for the new school building, and are keen to see the project finally come to life. In the meantime, the site is being used by the children for a variety of outdoor learning experiences such as gardening, growing vegetables and environmental work.

It is hoped that a new outdoor classroom provided by the trustees and the PTFA will be an added bonus later this year.