MORE than £3m looks to be pumped into a string of improvements at schools in Hampshire in the next few months, with Priestlands at Lymington topping the list.

It is in line for a £1,238,000 investment to provide a new music and drama building, two extra classrooms and a dining room extension.

Next comes Winchester's Kings School, which is to build six new classrooms, a staff office and toilets in a £700,000 new block it is funding from school reserves.

Test Valley School at Stockbridge has got the initial approval for £600,000 to be spent on a new language block and internal remodelling.

Wherwell Primary is in line for £522,000 for two classrooms, a staffroom and group room and Grateley Primary will get £419,000 for a new hall.

All the schemes were approved by Hampshire County Council's executive member for education Don Allen and, apart from Grateley - because the cost is under £500,000 - will now be considered for final approval on Thursday by policy and resources executive member and council leader Ken Thornber.

The county's planned contribution at Priestlands is more than £800,000, with the 1,143-pupil school chipping in £220,000 and a further £108,000 coming from school specialist status funding.

The new music and drama building will include two music rooms, four practice rooms, two drama rooms plus stores and toilets.

The existing drama space will be refurbished to provide two extra classrooms.

With children having the daytime benefit of many facilities at the nearby Lymington Recreation Centre, an all-weather sports pitch likely to be in use next September and indoor dance facilities to be opened in November, the school looks to be among the best equipped in the county.

Head teacher Chris Willsher said: "With the new sports facilities, the new arts facilities and the additional classrooms, it makes the school fit for the 21st century with the scope for further improvements in the future."

The additional classrooms will also provide 50 much-needed additional secondary school places for the New Forest and Mr Willsher added: "We are heavily oversubscribed at present and what both the county and ourselves want to avoid is a situation where pupils living in the Priestlands catchment area cannot be accommodated here."

As well as providing improved facilities for the pupils, the improved arts buildings will also enable the school to increase its range of adult education classes as well as providing a venue for amateur dramatic groups to rehearse and musicians to rehearse.

There are also plans for professional musicians to be brought in to help the pupils at quality workshop sessions.

Some of the funding hinges on whether the school is granted specialist status in performing and visual arts, but its application is at an advanced stage and staff are confident.

Test Valley School's new language block project is also to involve improvements to other parts of the school, with two classrooms being remodelled to provide a new science laboratory.