Sytchampton Primary School wins three year battle for new classrooms

Sytchampton Endowed Primary School has been using secondhand cabins since 2006 to teach key stage two students. 

For years, pupils have been learning in the "cold, damp, and noisy" portable cabins and last year an inspection of the classroom found water-damaged timbers.  

However, the children were said to be over the moon when they found out they will have two new learning classrooms in a brand new building at their school.

Especially after some classes were left "horrified" when they found mushrooms sprouting from the carpet and mould growing in their reading corner. 

Pupils were horrified when they found wild mushrooms growing in their classroom Jake Sloggett, Natalya Jones and Leo Stoodley (Image: Sytchampton Endowed Primary School)

Amanda Richards, headteacher has been 'battling' for better learning conditions for her students since she took on the role as head three years ago.

The village school is voluntarily aided, which means it does not have access to any funds from local authorities or the church. 

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The school has applied for the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) twice but was unsuccessful as only around 30 to 40 per cent of schools receive the grant each year.

Staff applied for the fund again this year, but could not wait until May for the outcome due to the depleted conditions of both classrooms.

However, the school also applied for Urgent Capital Support (UCS), which schools can apply for if they have urgent health and safety issues which could threaten closure.

And Mrs Richards, age 52, said she was delighted to hear she had received £586,956 in funding.

The total application of the rebuild is £652,173 which means the school will still have to fundraise to raise money for the remaining £65,217.

NEW: first look at the new building (Image: Sytchampton Endowed Primary School)

She said: "I'm over the moon our children will have the classrooms they deserve.

"I can't tell you the amount of paperwork and documents this has taken. 

"It's a massive relief and the children are really excited and thrilled.

"The children were horrified to find mushrooms coming up through the rug and carpets. 

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"They were over the moon that they won't have to share their classroom with mushrooms anymore. 

"The teachers are excited and the teachers have done a very good job of making the inside of the class a nice place to be despite their condition. 

"Now they can concentrate on the most important thing, which is teaching."