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Building fears for Tunstall Primary School

Tunstall Primary School, Tunstall
Tunstall Primary School, Tunstall

A primary school has vowed to fight on for new school buildings after the government announced it was slashing a £3.5bn national programme of works.

Hundreds of schools are affected across the country after Education Secretary Michael Gove's declaration this week.

Now staff and parents at Tunstall Primary School in Sittingbourne say they fear major delays to the site's much-needed revamp.

The governors, supported by the headteacher, have been lobbying to get a new school built on a new site.

At the moment, pupils are forced to work in school buildings comprising seven classes - five of which are mobile.

They claim the site is too small to offer the full range of activities needed to deliver a modern curriculum to the school's 200 pupils.

Governors chairman Doreen Hunter said, "We are just starting to get our voice heard at KCC, trying to get a slice of the limited capital funds to build a new school for the children and staff.

"But we expect these new restrictions will reduce KCC's budgets, and make the job of getting our new school built that much more difficult."

Head teacher Kate Hutchings said conditions had been terrible in the recent hot weather.

Kate Hutchings, headteacher at Tunstall Primary, Tunstall
Kate Hutchings, headteacher at Tunstall Primary, Tunstall

She added: "We've outgrown the space in the old, listed building, and the outside areas have been eaten up with mobiles.

"We believe we have a great case for getting the funds to build a new school, a school that will give the children and staff here the advantages of space and facilities that are enjoyed in other schools in the area."

As part of its campaign, the Governors are inviting KCC education chiefs and local county councillors to visit the school and meet the pupils and staff.

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