A £489,000 building programme is under way to improve facilities at a primary school in Radley.

The building work at Radley C of E Primary School is creating an extension to the side of the existing building. It will include:

  • A purpose-built foundation stage classroom, with toilets
  • A kitchen area
  • A space for different play and learning experiences
  • An outdoor area with access from the foundation classroom The new classroom will be used by children from the pre-school and school.

A much-needed new entrance lobby and an office for the school secretary and for the headteacher is also being constructed.

Once the building work is completed, the prefabricated unit currently housing the pre-school will be demolished.

Further internal improvements will be made to staffroom accommodation, providing space for teachers to work, and to provide additional spaces for small group work for children across the school.

Headteacher Frances Lockwood said: "I arrived in April 2007 at Radley Primary School at a very exciting time in the development of the school.

"The whole school community, including parents, the previous headteacher, the governing body of the school, and the staff and committee of the pre-school have worked extremely hard to get this project off the ground.

"This new accommodation will provide a wealth of opportunities for the staff and children at Radley Primary School, and we are all delighted to have the work under way."

Kevin Griffin, service manager at the county council, added: "We are delighted that work is going ahead smoothly at Radley Primary School.

"Our programme of improvements to schools across the county continues, creating a better learning environment for Oxfordshire pupils and teachers."

The work is due to finish during the autumn.