SCHOOL pupils are benefiting from a new eco classroom that was five years in the making.

Drury Primary Schoolopened their brand new eco classroom last month.

The classroom, named ‘Beech Lodge’ has been designed for a variety of uses, including their before and after school club for pupils.

Being environmentally friendly is very important to the school.

The eco classroom was allocated an energy performance rating of ‘A’, indicating the excellent energy efficiency of the fabric of the building, which includes heating and ventilation.

Headteacher Mark Biltcliffe said: “The need for more space has become increasingly pressing at Drury Primary School.

“Originally, we thought we would be able to use some Section 106 money coming our way because of new houses being built in the area, so as to extend the school slightly.

“It was nothing like enough money for this purpose.

“We had saved some money to add to it but the next idea of a log cabin was ruled out by the county council at that stage because it would not be a permanent extension to the building.

“With the help of our local county councillors we asked if this policy could be reviewed and the guidance became more flexible.

“It has taken us five years to get planning permission, landlord permission, competitive tendering, architect plans, county being satisfied with the finances for it, liaising with the contractors on a daily basis.

“After five long years we have an amazing building that has been named as ‘Beech Lodge’ and is very well built, well insulated and ideal for our purpose.”

Just some of the uses for the classroom are the before and after school club, nursery, junior children receiving literacy and numeracy support, meetings with parents, music lessons, speech therapy, and governors meetings.

Mr Biltcliffe added: “Our Beech Lodge will, in all probability, last many decades, possibly even longer than the school, and provide lasting benefit to generations of children passing through Drury Primary School.”