A SCHOOL is celebrating the opening of an £80,000 classroom following a two-decade funding battle.

Reception pupils at Kingswood Infant School, in Basildon, have moved out of a run-down demountable classroom into a spacious, light extension to the main school building.

The school had wanted to move pupils out of the demountable since it was put up to provide more space in 1992, but staff repeatedly saw their applications for funding turned down.

Two years ago, they decided to do it themselves and raised the cash through fundraising events and revising the school budget.

Debbie Loveless, headteacher, said: “It feels like a great achievement as it’s been such a battle to get here – we’re really pleased with the result.”

The demountable classroom got hot in the summer, cold in the winter, was noisy and didn’t provide enough space.

Staff saved more than £50,000 from their capital budget and from fundraising events like summer and Christmas fairs, but were £25,000 short for a new classroom.

They put in various funding bids and were hopeful of obtaining a grant from the Government last summer.

Two weeks before their application was due to be considered, the Government announced there was no money available for schools awaiting decisions on building improvement grants.

Mrs Loveless said: “We were devastated, as we’d come so close. We’d been fighting, saving and looking everywhere we could for financial support.”

At the same time, the Government also announced schools would get more freedom to spend their budgets as they wished.

This meant money previously ring-fenced for developing specific subjects could go towards the new classroom.

Julie Chandler, school bursar, said: “The classroom was our priority, so we decided it was the best way to spend the money.

“We slashed the staff training budget to help find the money.”

Building work started earlier this year and the spacious new classroom opened for the new school year last week.

The demountable is now being used to teach smaller groups, including special needs pupils.

The nursery will move into a Year 1 classroom adjoining the new classroom next year, so the two year groups can interact easily.

Staff are hopeful an £8,000 bid for Lottery funding will allow them to create a fenced-off outdoor area for reception and nursery pupils next year.