AFTER four years in the making, a village primary school has unveiled plans for a £1 million revamp.

Overbury First School is set to have a new entrance and reception area, hall, kitchen and two additional flexible teaching spaces as well as offices and toilets.

Staff were encouraged by the positive reaction from parents, residents and the children at a consultation event held at the village hall last month.

They are now preparing to submit a planning application and – if permission is granted – will be starting work on the toilets and foundations next summer.

Funding for the project has mainly come from a village resident and supporter of the school, who made a substantial donation. “We love our historic school building,“ said headteacher Pernilla Pascolutti. “But there are a small number of schools who don’t have a hall and we are one of those schools.

“The village hall we use is a five to 10-minute walk away. It will make a huge difference.

This project will give the children the facilities and space they need as well as allowing us to share the school with residents.”

Faith Hallett, school governor, said the community response was very encouraging.

“We had 70 questionnaires returned. They were very positive,” she said. “The local community is very keen for it to go ahead – not just parents at the school but other people in the village who want to see Overbury have a thriving school.”

Architect Richard Newman who designed the plans, said: “The school was designed by Richard Norman Shaw in 1876 and is a listed building.

We are doing everything possible to pay proper homage to its heritage while meeting all the requirements of a 21st century school.”