TEACHERS and pupils have celebrated the opening of their new school.

The Frome Valley First School in Crossways has suffered setbacks while being built, including access problems while construction work was continuing.

But now they have been overcome and the school opened in time for the new school term, much to the delight of headteacher Helen Boyce.

She said: "It feels wonderful to be opening up a school in the village."

The new school was built to replace Owermoigne First School, which closed its doors in July.

Mrs Boyce added: "The old school was very out of date. We had no hall and we were using temporary buildings and it just wasn't a school fit for the 21st century, whereas this one most certainly is."

She added that pupils at the old school used to have to go outside and cross the playground in order to use the toilets. She said: "This school is a much more secure site for the children."

Unlike its predecessor, the new school boasts a hall, six classrooms, two reception rooms, offices and a staff room, as well as two playing fields.

The school, which has just over 100 pupils and recently gained leading learning school status from Dorset County Council, also has a new information and communication technology room.

Mrs Boyce said: "We have held a proper assembly in our new hall. We set the first day in the school as a familiarisation day."

She added that pupils showed parents around the school in the afternoon on their first day there after getting to know it themselves.

She said: "The children are very excited, they're absolutely loving it. There are also much better facilities for the teachers."

Many pupils, who used to go to Owermoigne First School in Moreton Road, used to have to travel by bus from Crossways every day.

Mrs Boyce added that having a school in Crossways will make contact with parents easier and give the school more opportunity to run breakfast and after-school clubs.