THE Bishop of Southampton has officially opened a new building at a Hampshire school.

The Rt Rev Paul Butler visited Netley Marsh C of E Infant School in Woodlands to open the new £800,000 facility.

As well as a state-of-the-art sports hall, the extension features three new classrooms, offices and a library.

Pupils have been taught in temporary classrooms during the past 12 months while the building work was completed at the 74-pupil school in Ringwood Road.

Head teacher Laura Dickson, who has been at the helm for two years, said: "We are all really excited about the new building.

"It has given us really modern facilities with interactive whiteboards in each of the classrooms and wireless laptops available for all the children."

The extension is attached to the school's original building, which is approaching its 150th anniversary.

Miss Dickson, who successfully took the school out of special measures after Ofsted inspectors criticised its low standards, said that the school is now going from strength to strength.