Dozens of balloons were released by children in Hambledon as they showed off their new school building during an official opening today.

The celebration marked the completion of a £250,000 refurbishment by Hampshire County Council.

A former house in the middle of the school has been innovatively transformed into a new reception class, with new toilets, art area, staff room, and preparation and resources areas including space for children to develop their domestic science skills.

There’s also new internal access and  French doors to the school hall to save the children having to walk outside in the rain, the old staff room is now a library, windows have been replaced and there are new toilets for the older children too.

Headteacher Eileen Ball said: “The children were so eager to have a look at all that had changed at the start of term and were so excited to be showing off their lovely school today.

"They were completely amazed at the change to the school. Almost every class has been affected by the building works so the children think the change is fantastic.”

“It has given us the accommodation and modern facilities that our growing primary school needs and which the children deserve. The staff are thrilled with their new staffroom, offices and their inside toilets.

"Before this work was done we were, I believe, the only school in Hampshire that still had an outside staff toilet!”

Many rural village schools in the past had an attached ‘School House’ that would have provided accommodation for the Head Teacher, but it is rare to find the building positioned in the middle of the school, explained Mrs Ball.

At present there are a total of 84 pupils at Hambledon Primary School and numbers are planned to increase to 105.

Among the guests helping the children cut a ribbon to mark the opening were the Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Roy Perry, and the Executive Member for Education, Councillor Peter Edgar.

It’s one of 291 separate projects completed in schools by Hampshire Property Services over the summer, at a value of more than £50million.