WORK on an £832,000 scheme to rebuild a Sedgefield primary school destroyed in an arson attack will start next month.

Education officials are to use the opportunity of construction work at Sedgefield Primary School to refurbish and enlarge the nursery from 40 to 52 places at an additional cost of £170,000.

Junior and infant pupils were left without classrooms when fire wrecked the school in January.

Although the detached nursery unit was unaffected by the blaze, the condition of the fire damaged areas of the school meant it was not safe enough for the very youngest pupils to return.

Children were sent for lessons to nearby schools and the local parish hall.

Durham County Council education officials drew up emergency plans to bring all the children back together under one roof as soon as possible, while a rebuilding programme was considered.

In late spring, 32 demountable sections were delivered to the school site and pieced together to create a school which all the pupils could attend while plans to build permanent accommodation were finalised.

The cost of rebuilding the primary school will be largely met from insurance payments, although the county council is meeting the first £100,000 insurance excess and the £170,000 bill for the extended nursery unit.

Council leader and Sedgefield representative Councillor Ken Manton said: "We met parents to discuss the reinstatement of the school and shared their view that additional nursery places were needed.

"Although our insurance cover was on a like-for-like basis, we have nevertheless been able to find the extra finances for expanding nursery provision and work on the overall scheme is due to start next month."

It is hoped to have the work complete and the pupils back in permanent classrooms by the end of March next year.

Plans for the nursery accommodation are available for inspection at Sedgefield library from 9.30am to 7pm Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, 9am to 5pm on Tuesdays, 9.30am to 12.30pm Wednesdays and 9am to 12.30pm on Saturdays.