PUPILS at a primary school near York are enjoying a "gorgeous" new teaching block.

Cynthia Welbourn, director of education at North Yorkshire County Council, will officially open the £210,000 new building at Long Marston Church of England Primary School tomorrow.

The school now has two new classrooms, a new cloakroom for children, a new staff room and more office space. The original Victorian school hall and 1960s classroom are still being used.

Outdoor decking, decorated by the youngest pupils, has been added to the new building. The new classrooms, built by Bishopthorpe-based Moor Lane Construction, double as extra hall space when an acoustic wooden wall is folded back. The school now also has new electronic whiteboards, provided by the Long Marston School Association (LMSA).

Head teacher Celia Curry said the school's old facilities were no longer adequate for its needs.

"The (old) classrooms were very, very small and we had no proper cloak room. But it was more that the teaching space was inadequate."

Funding for the new block was provided by the county council's "modernisation grant" as well as government money and additional county council funds.

Ms Curry said pupils were "loving" their bright, new classrooms.

She said: "It's fantastic, we're really enjoying the extra teaching space and the children are enjoying the extra learning space. It's got the wow factor - the new rooms are gorgeous.

"The builders were brilliant - the first spade in the soil was only in October.

"To the credit of everybody we have managed never to have to close the school."

She said the children had been involved in all aspects of their new building.

Updated: 08:39 Wednesday, June 16, 2004