THE first phase of an ambitious modernisation scheme for South Tawton Primary School was officially opened on Tuesday and staff and children are 'absolutely thrilled.'

Consisting of two new classrooms for the school's youngest children, the Early Years Unit has been built by Devon County Council at a cost of £220,000.

It is the first phase of a three-stage modernisation of the school which aims to bring all the teaching accommodation to one side of the road and the hall and sports facilities on the other.

Headteacher Bobby Sutton said the architects had made a really good job fitting the new classrooms into the general ambience of the school and they were 'bright, airy, cheerful and warm'.

'We are absolutely thrilled to bits with them and we are looking forward to the further upgrade of the rest of the site. The children are already benefiting enormously.'

The second stage of the improvement scheme has seen the purchase of playing fields and work will get underway on the remodelling of the school in the very near future.

Construction of a new school hall, which will also be available for community use, will be the third phase of the scheme.

Devon County Council is currently working with the local community to ensure the hall has the best possible design to meet their requirements.

The council's executive chairman for lifelong learning, Kate Palmer, who opened the new unit on Tuesday, said this was part of a four-year £40-million programme of new school building, modernisation and improvements currently being carried out by the authority.

'We have come a long way in addressing the historic under-funding of our school buildings but we realise we still have a lot to do,' she said.