Plans for the expansion of a Hitchin school have been given the green light by County Hall education chiefs.

William Ransom Primary School in Stuart Drive will see an extra 22 pupils arrive at the school for their September 2016 intake following the Herts County Council thumbs up for the expansion proposals.

The decision will see the school take on the same number of pupils for the next seven academic years from 2016 up to 2023 – bringing the numbers of students from to 276 to 420 – with the council voting to increase the capital budget for the expansion of the premises by £4.2million.

Headteacher Mary Driver told the Comet: “The council approved an expansion which will result in us accommodating an extra 22 pupils per year from September 2016 to 2023.

“We support the expansion but the fact remains we will be in continued dialogue with County Hall to get the best deal possible for our school, our pupils and our parents. The ethos and philosophy of our school will remain – William Ransom will remain William Ransom.

“We will continue to offer an excellent education for children from reception age up to Year 6.”

David Williams, the Herts County Council cabinet member responsible for education, said: “I’m pleased the county council is funding the expansion of William Ransom, including a new multi-use games area.

“We want all children to have access to a good education so they can reach their full potential. That means ensuring the right number of school places in the right location.

“This is a significant challenge given there are 10,000 more children under the age of four in Hertfordshire today than a decade ago.

“However, despite the continuing financial pressures we face, we will continue to invest money to ensure that where the county’s population grows we build the appropriate infrastructure.”