Shrewsbury Lodge in Esher welcomed reception pupils with a newly built state-of-the-art learning centre.

The school in Milbourne Lane, formerly called Milbourne Lodge Junior School, spent £1.3m on the extension to the school, which will cater for four and five-year-olds embarking on their academic lives.

The two new classrooms have computer work stations for the pupils and an activity corner - one designed like a pirate ship and the other like a castle.

The new development also provides pupils with a specialist art room and a large library facility with a separate reading area. There is also a new information communication and technology suite, while students will get to play African drums, ocarinas and recorders twice weekly in the music room.

Newly appointed headteacher Gill Hope said the learning centre had been a great way for her to start in her new role.

She said: “I’ve been very spoilt coming in to the job with this new building. We want to provide the best education for our children and having these facilities will make a difference.

“The atmosphere in the learning centre is calm and focused and parents are already saying how happy their kids are. It was delightful to watch their reactions as they entered their new classrooms for the first time.”

Mrs Hope said the new facilities would also compliment the traditional education the school has always provided its pupils.

She said: “Its important we provide a sound start for the children with reading, writing and maths, but the school is not a hot house, so we want to give our pupils a breadth of education.

“The end result of the completion of the new development has far surpassed our highest expectations in terms of the environment it provides for learning within both the academic and wider curriculum.”

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