WITH exciting expansion plans and a strong sense of community, Hemyock Primary School is aiming for an outstanding rating in its next OFSTED report.

Plans for a new classroom were approved by governors this week, and work to transform a storage area into a new library and resources centre has already begun.

Head of teaching and learning Leanne Arrowsmith, who took up the role three years ago, said: “Our school is rapidly growing. At the beginning of the year we were 149 – today we are 164 and we are expecting 25 more children this September.

“Lots of people are moving from different areas and I think a good school does attract families, so we really are a growing school, which brings its own success.

“At the moment we have some mixed age classes, but another classroom by September would mean we would be able to teach in single age groups.

“The new learning zones, which used to be a corridor filled with cupboards, will be used to showcase our design technology work.

“We have thought very carefully about how to use the space.”

School leaders have also recently taken over the running of the pre-school, which used to be managed by a committee of parents.

“By doing this we have secured its future, and can develop the partnership between the pre-school and our school, which makes the transition really easy for the children so they have a positive start to school,” said Leanne.

She added that pupils are encouraged to think about community both inside and outside the school walls.

There is a student council made up of representatives from different classes who meet to discuss how the school could be improved, and children often take part in an array of community projects in the local area.

Leanne said: “Over the past three years we have been working hard on making the school part of the community.

“We have elderly people come in and listen to the children read, we have strong links with the Healthy Living Centre in the village, and the children visit the elderly and the Cameo Club there.”