NEW classrooms came at the perfect time for St Teath Community Primary School, as they accepted their largest reception class to date.

Elm class has 20 children, all in a new state of the art classroom fitted with air conditioning and full insulation.

The school had been under pressure in recent years, trying to house all its children in suitable rooms, with one class having to take their lessons in the school hall. This proved to be a strain as the hall is a communal space needed for activities and lunchtime service and is unsuited as a classroom area.

With the addition of the two new classrooms the school is now able to accommodate larger intakes and house children in suitable rooms that are equipped for their needs.

Funding for the classrooms came from Cornwall Council after the pressures on St Teath’s overcrowded classrooms was made apparent. Before the school was allocated funding from the authorities their PTA had begun fundraising efforts of its own — cake sales and quiz nights all raised money to go towards the new facilities.

With the money no longer necessary for the new build they instead put it towards new markings for the playground and ICT and PE equipment, along with other resources for the new classrooms.

Headteacher Mr Lee Bacchus said: “It is great to finally have classrooms suited to the needs of the children. It was difficult for teachers to be holding lessons in the school’s hall as that is a communal space used at lunch times and for assemblies.

“When I started there were only 39 children in the whole school. With the new facilities the children will be in a more suitable environment and the school is able to accommodate more pupils, with around 89 children attending now.”