Fairford Primary School has had a lot to celebrate this year.

In January, the school achieved an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating over all the categories of inspection and then it was listed 139 in the Sunday Times top 250 state primary schools in England out of a total of 14,000 schools.

Now staff and pupils are celebrating the official opening of the new combined primary/pre-school building by the Rt Revd Robert Springett, Bishop of Tewkesbury.

The official opening started with year 4 and 5 pupils singing the School Creed in Welsh and was followed by headteacher, Julie Fellows, thanking the numerous people and organisations involved in the successful planning, designing and building of the new learning facility. Julie went on to explain how the extension project for the school had evolved over the years with the project starting in earnest in the summer term of 2018.

She said: “In some ways, it has felt like the longest year of our lives with an Ofsted inspection right in the middle of it, but it has also been one of the best years, as our dream has been realised.

“Builders, Beards Construction, have had to work tirelessly through torrential downpours, snow, bats and heatwaves to ensure we were open in September.”

Bishop Robert congratulated everyone on a wonderful, strong community effort and said he was proud to be sharing it with everyone involved in Fairford.

He was then joined by headgirl and boy, Immy Ransom and Oskar Flach; and deputy headgirl and boy, Rosie Jackson and Harry Russell for the ribbon cutting ceremony and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque.

Invited guests were then taken on a guided tour of the new facility, which comprises a brand new, bright and airy hall, a well-equipped music room, a sensory room designed to develop children's senses through special lighting, music, and objects, a state-of-the-art kitchen to prepare school meals, a covered outdoor play area, two new pre-school classrooms, two new Reception classrooms and much more.

Children are being taken from as young as two years old.

To find out more, contact Fairford Primary School on 01285 712543.