A TAUNTON primary school is celebrating as its new school building has officially opened.

On Monday, councillor John Osman and Frances Nicholson, from Somerset County Council, and mayor of Taunton Deane, cllr Vivienne Stock-Williams, attended West Monkton Primary school at its new premises on Bridgwater Road, Monkton Heathfield, to celebrate the opening.

Ian Robinson, headteacher at West Monkton Primary School: “We recognise at West Monkton how lucky we are to have this wonderful new building. We have a vision for a calm yet vibrant, purposeful learning environment.

"We are grateful to all those that have enabled us to realise this vision.

"Our opening ceremony was a great opportunity for the children to share with councillors, local authority officers, the developers and all our other guests how much they love learning in this new school building.

"As the headteacher, I am very proud of our school community and really enjoyed the opportunity to share the great learning that is already taking place in this beautiful new building.

"I look forward to the many opportunities that this new building, with the community hall attached, offers for West Monkton Primary School to serve its community.”

The new school building, which is replacing the old building on School Road, has been developed by Persimmon and Redrow to cope with the expected demand for school places created by the building of around 1,000 new homes in the area.

The relocated school has space for 420 pupils, and also includes playing fields and netball courts, a nursery with space for 52 children and community facilities.