Work has started on a new extension at St Patrick's C of E Primary School in Endmoor.

The Westmorland and Furness Council, in partnership with the Diocese of Carlisle, are expanding facilities at the school with a £400,000 scheme.

The project will expand the existing building with a 90-metre square extension.

This additional space includes new toilets, a cloakroom area, storage facilities and a multi-use, 62-metre square classroom.

The development will allow for increased student capacity, a response to the local new housing projects that are underway.

Funding for the extension has been secured through two sources by Westmorland and Furness Council.

Section 106 funding, money provided by housing developers to ensure enough school places exist for growing communities, and basic need funding from the Department for Education to local authorities to guarantee adequate school places for children in their local area.

(Image: Westmorland & Furness Council)

Milorad Vasic, director of children’s services, said: "These enhancements will bring massive benefits to this rural school, to both its existing families and the new ones it can accommodate as the capacity increases.

"This funding will ensure that for years to come we have sufficient school places locally, as demand continues to grow and I’m looking forward to seeing the extension taking shape over the next few months."

Allan Harty, assistant director for corporate assets, fleet and capital programme, added: "Contributions from developers and from government are helping us make improvements to local school buildings.

"We aim to make the best use of the funding available to us and I’m glad to see work beginning as we continue to invest in schools across Westmorland and Furness."

Emphasising the positive impacts of the extension, Suzanne Edmondson, head teacher at St Patrick’s C of E Primary School, said: "The school serves our community by providing a high standard of education and a warm and secure environment in which our children can flourish.

"Having more space will help us to continue to deliver these objectives and will bring huge benefits to our pupils as they progress on their educational journey with us.

"I would like to say how grateful I am to the team at Westmorland and Furness and the Diocese who have worked together to ensure we were successful in securing enough funding for the building to go ahead."

The construction work began in late May and is expected to be completed by autumn.