A SECONDARY school which is undergoing a �1m expansion programme has opened its brand new classroom blocks, which were completed as part of the project.

The Priory School in Hitchin built the classrooms to meet demand for an increasing number of students entering the school.

The three modern foreign language rooms and science laboratory cost �750,000, and an extension to the sixth form and caf� is also scheduled. A planning application for the latter has just been submitted to North Herts District Council (NHDC).

The programme has gone down well with students at the school.

Year 8 pupil Seb Gale said: “I really like the modern design and large classrooms.”

The expansion programme began earlier this year, after the school decided to withdraw its application to become an academy.

It made the decision in the belief that its financial position was already strong enough.

Headteacher Peter Loach said: “This is an excellent new facility, which we have dedicated to Richard Lee, who died recently, for his long and loyal service to the school as a governor.

“We will now expand our caf� and refurbish our art rooms to complete the modernisation of our whole school site.”

The application for the caf� expansion – a proposed single story extension – will be considered by NHDC, with a target date for a decision marked for the end of November.