PARENTS, pupils, staff and councillors celebrated as a £1.67million extension was officially opened at Bramley Church of England Primary School.

The extension, which includes five new classrooms and an extension to the existing assembly hall, has been built to accommodate a rising local population. The school is expanding by 105 pupil places.

Building work has been ongoing at the school, in Bramley Lane, for the last six months.

Councillor Peter Edgar, Hampshire County Council’s executive member for education, said: “The investment we have made to transform and expand this school will ensure that the local need for school places in the coming years can be met easily.”

Across the county, the council is investing £165million in providing 8,000 additional primary school places.

Cllr Edgar said: “Our objective is to deliver quality education locally, that is to say, near to where children live and where parents want them to go to school.

“The quality of accommodation at this school is excellent. We are enormously grateful for the valuable contribution made by the school community.”

Cllr Edgar, accompanied by Cllr Keith Chapman, executive member for culture and recreation, interim headteacher Lyn Downes, and other guests, made a speech praising the quality and spirit of the school before officially cutting the ribbon to mark the opening.

Guests, who also included The Reverend Arthur Botham, Area Dean of Basingstoke, were then given a guided tour.

Nicky Parker, chair of governors at the school, said: “My thanks to the construction team for creating such a great space for us.

“We are rightly very proud of our new facilities. I am also very grateful to the local authority for funding and supporting us with this project, and to parents for their patience during the build.”