PUPILS at a Southampton school are celebrating a £2.5million project to expand their school.

The youngsters at St Denys School in Dundee Road will see part of their school demolished - but a new building set to house a new hall, classroom and kitchen.

Paid for with a central government grant, head teacher Amanda Talbot-Jones said she is “thrilled” about the plans - and the school feels “very fortunate.”

Now teachers and pupils will be getting ready for the work to start this summer.

But it’s been a long time coming - and Ms Amanda-Jones said the school has been waiting since 2014 - when it became clear that the roof needed repair.

She said: “The school was originally built for 900 pupils in Victorian times. The changes will take it back to the original Victorian design.

“We knew the roof needed fixing but it was going to be so expensive.

“The original bid around the roof was submitted at the end of 2014 and then we heard we would be part of the PSB2 Building programme in December 2015.

“We were very lucky. The council have been fabulous. The council architect has kept us informed and they have really listened to what we need.

“Parents have seen designs. The key stage two corridor and year four classroom will be demolished to make two quadrangles.

“Our classrooms for key stage two are being made bigger.”

The hall will be divided into two - with one half becoming the library and according to Ms Talbot-Jones the “heart of the school.”

The expansion will mean extra space for the existing 206 children - but is not aimed at increasing class sizes.

A spokesperson for Southampton City Council said: “I can confirm that the works at the school are explicitly to address the condition of the school and the size of classrooms and are not aimed at increasing the capacity of the school.

“The expansion of St Denys Primary School will include a complete refurbishment internally and externally.

“As a result of the expansion, the school will have a new building that accommodates a new classroom, assembly hall and a new production kitchen.

“This is a £2.5m scheme, which will be funded by the Education Skills Funding Agency.

It is currently at planning stage and work is expected to commence in July 2018 and conclude in October 2019.”

St Denys Primary is one of 277 schools across the country included in the Priority School Building Programme 2.

Other Southampton schools receiving cash to improve their buildings are Saint George Catholic College and Valentine Primary School.