A NEW learning centre is to be built at the village school in Cerne Abbas on part of the playground.

The expansion has been agreed by Dorset Council for the Duck Street first school which is currently rated as “outstanding” by Ofsted.

The headteacher says the new building will help maintain the school’s success into the future.

The new Learning Resource Centre (LRC) with adjoining headteacher and administration offices to the north of the existing buildings will allow the school to use its existing learning resource centre to be converted back to classroom space.

The site to be built on currently contains a small temporary timber pergola structure and play equipment, which will be relocated or replaced elsewhere on the school site.

Head teacher Catherine Cresswell wrote to Dorset Council to explain why the new building is needed: "A few years ago we were in danger of potentially reducing the number of classes because of low pupil numbers which resulted in a deficit budget.

"Now, three years on, due to extending our Foundation Stage Base to include more children, our pupil numbers are growing throughout the school and we are no longer in deficit. This is such excellent news.

"Due to this amazing success we now have the challenge of our school building not having the capacity for the number of children that we have, hence this application.

"We feel so privileged to be in this position as this building, if planning permission is approved, will mean we can sustain our school’s success into the future.”

The new building includes a main teaching area with two small offices and an access lobby to the rear.