Children help build on Newport school's success

Thankfully for pupils at Newport Infants School, they were just lending a hand to builders to mark the start of the project, which will see a new two-room extension created.

Even teachers donned hard hats and high vis jackets to lay the foundations for the growing school's bright future.

Sam Cole and Maddison Mack, both five, were among the children who were not afraid to get their hands dirty to help their school expand.

Staff and pupils alike are excitedly awaiting the completion of the two new classrooms ready for the new school year in September.

Work, which started in March, will carry on over the summer holiday so when youngsters return they can look forward to lessons in new surroundings.

The building work had been waylaid by heavy rain but as glorious sunshine bathed the town this week builders picked up their trowels and began mixing cement.

Chris Pierce, deputy head at the school, said: "This week all of the staff and children at Newport Infants School helped the builders by laying a brick for the new classrooms. Everyone had to wear a hard hat and high visibility vest when they went onto the building site, just like real builders."

Newport Infants School in Granville Avenue has about 175 pupils aged between five and seven.

Headteacher Rebecca Overthrow wrote to parents in March to announce staff were "very excited" that work had started on the new classrooms.

She said: "These extensive building and alteration works will take us into the Summer holidays and, as such, there have been many considerations we have had to make, in terms of minimising the disruption to the core business of school for our children, staff and parents, whilst also being flexible enough to accommodate the scheduled work necessary to ensure a timely completion."

She added: "We kindly ask that you remain supportive and understanding over the next four months, as we bring to fruition our plans to increase the size our successful school."