THREE Hampshire schools are to benefit from a multi-million pound boost.

Hampshire County Council has earmarked some £6m for the extension at Romsey primary, Bishop's Waltham Infants and Bishop's Waltham Junior schools.

Almost £3million has been awarded to Romsey which will allow it to double in size, transforming it into a two-form school from September 2018. The two Bishop's Waltham school will receive £3.3m for similar growth.

Taking nine months to complete, the Romsey expansion will include the construction of four new classrooms and the conversion of the existing school building to provide a further three classrooms; an additional 14 much-needed car parking bays will also be created.

In total, it is estimated to cost the council around £2.8million.

This will mean the school’s intake will double from 210 pupils to 420; an additional 60 places will also be available for its nursery.

Headteacher Jason Anderson says he is delighted that the school has been given the grant.

“It is incredibly exciting for us here,” added Mr Anderson.

“The grant shows us that the council recognises that the school has been on an amazing journey over the last couple of years. We are a growing school and we have a very strong reputation within the local community. It is an exciting chapter in the next phase of the school.”

Speaking about what the grant will do for the school, Mr Anderson said: “We will be bringing in our first new pupils in September 2018.

“We will bring in a second Reception class then. More staff will also be taken on to accommodate the increase in size.”

He added: “The parents have been, largely, really supportive about the expansion.

“We are currently bulging at the seams so it will be allow more local families to send their children here.”

Mr Anderson also said that the catchment area could, potentially, be redefined by the expansion, allowing more residents to send their children to the school.

More staff will also be taken on, including teachers.

The money was approved by Cllr Peter Edgar, executive member for education.

Cllr Edgar also agreed £3.37m towards major expansion of Bishop's Waltham Infants and Junior Schools.

At the infants school a single-storey extension will allow three extra classrooms and increase the size of the school from a two-form entry to a three-form entry of up to 270 pupils.

The juniors, next door in Oak Road, will have a two-storey extension for two new classrooms allow it to also increase from a two to a three-form entry for up to 360 children.

As well as the new classrooms the investment will see new toilets, storage and staff rooms and an expanded car park.

The infants school was built in 1988; the juniors dates from 1968 with extensions in 1995, 1997 and 2000.

Construction is due to start in the autumn with a planned completion of summer 2018.

To reduce the chance of accidents to pupils there will be no deliveries of vehicle movements at the start or end of the school day.

Neither heads were available for comment yesterday. (THURS)