PUPILS have been settling into a hi-tech block of temporary classrooms as a huge building project gets under way at their school.

The 16 classrooms at Barstable School, in Basildon, were designed to create a temporary building the size of a primary school, with all the modern features of a secondary school.

The classrooms are linked together by well-lit corridors, avoiding a cold run across the playground.

The block is also fully heated and houses a library, technology workshops, and computer rooms.

The new block is needed while construction work takes place at Barstable, in preparation for it merging with Chalvedon School to become an academy.

When work has finished, the Barstable site will be home to the lower academy for 1,350 11 to 14-year-olds while the Chalvedon site in Wickford Avenue, Pitsea, will house the upper academy for students aged 14 to 19.

More than 2,500 children, including 500 sixth-formers, will study on the two sites when the academy opens next September.

Principal Alan Roach said: “This promises to be an exciting time.

“The new buildings are starting to fly up, ready for the arrival of the lower academy’s intake.”

Far from being disruptive, staff say the temporary classrooms, designed by architects Capita, have had a positive effect on the pupils.

Gary Smith, head of school, said: “The children have responded very positively to the move. “There’s been a noticeable improvement in work and behaviour because everything is new, self contained and works.”