A VILLAGE primary school is set to expand in time for the new academic year.

De Vere Primary School, in Castle Hedingham, will now offer 70 more places for children as part of massive investment by Essex County Council in schools places around the county.

The places will be available from September and the school has received significant investment in the site.

Catherine Gransden, chairman of the governors at De Vere Primary School, said: “It is fantastic news for the school. We are having two new classrooms and they open in September. There were 300 dwellings built at the old Premdor site in Sible Hedingham a few years ago.

“We spoke to the council then because by walking distance it is about the same between De Vere and St Peter’s in Sible Hedingham. They conducted quite an extensive look into primary schools in the area and decided we were one ready for expansion.

“We have been very lucky because with this we will have two play grounds to go with the fields and we are having our hall extended as well.”

In total the council has spent around £74 million in creating 2,535 new permanent places for children at both primary and secondary school level.

No new provision has been implemented for Halstead itself, however county hall says it will seek more than £1 million from developers if developments, such as a 205 home estate off Sudbury Road, go-ahead.

Ray Gooding, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: ““We recognise that more places are still needed over the coming years and are planning to spend about £230million on creating new mainstream school places across Essex over the next three years.”