WORK has begun on a school’s £2.6m extension.

Morgan Sindall plc has been appointed to the project at Locks Heath Infant and Junior Schools.

For the junior school, the extension consists of a four-classroom extension, toilet facilities and a new multi-use teaching area.

A new state-of-the-art learning hub with a glass roof, designed to allow in natural light, is also part of the plans.

Further work is planned to provide three additional classrooms for the infant school.

The existing staff room will also be extended and further toilet facilities built.

These new classrooms will replace temporary classrooms in place at the school and the aim is that they will link seamlessly with the existing school building.

This comes after Hampshire County Council agreed to a £3.2m grant for an overhaul of the school.

In 2013 the junior school was one of eight schools allocated by county council education chiefs to take more students in order to create 1,000 more primary school places as part of a £820m Government cash injection.

Tim Elliott, special works manager at Morgan Sindall, said: “The new classrooms and works at Locks Heath Infant and Junior Schools will give them a new lease of life and importantly replace the temporary classrooms with an upgraded, permanent solution.

“Morgan Sindall has extensive experience in delivering education projects both on time and within budget and we look forward to working in partnership with both schools as we deliver this project.”

The building is designed to be more environmentally friendly, with solar panels on the roof of the junior school converting sunlight into electricity and construction aimed at providing more natural light to reduce the need for artificial lighting.

Morgan Sindall says it has taken steps to ensure that children remain safe while on the school site, including putting up hoardings and timing deliveries to minimise disruption to the schools’ day-to-day activities.