MORETONHAMPSTEAD is to get a new £5m primary school and Coombeshead College, Newton Abbot, will get new classrooms to replace its elderly temporary huts. They are among 24 schools in Devon to benefit from a three-year building programme of £150m, agreed by Devon County Council's Executive on Monday.
Maddy Evans, headteacher of Moretonhampstead primary, said: 'Obviously we are thrilled and very excited. It is the news we have been waiting for for a long, long time.'
The present Victorian school is now too small and is on a split site. Pupil numbers are expected to rise from 161 to 180 children.
The move to former farmland at the other end of town will provide room to expand.
Building is due to start in July and it should be finished for the start of term in September 2007. It will have six classrooms, a hall, library, music room, ICT suite, special needs room and sports field.
Mrs Evans said that pupils, parents, staff and governors had all been involved in the design process. 'We are hoping that the accommodation will be very flexible. It really reflects what we want as a community.'
Bovey Tracey county councillor Sally Morgan, who has supported Moretonhampstead's bid, said she was 'very pleased' .
'The figures agreed will do something really positive for the school and the community.'
Coombeshead College will get 14 new classrooms, costing £2.7m, in the third and final phase of its extensive building programme. The first phase was a new sports hall, the second phase was the recently-completed theatre.
Principal Richard Haigh said: 'We still have a number of poor-quality temporary classrooms and I am delighted they are finally going.
'They absorb a lot of time and money to keep in good repair.'
A further £4.3m is to be spent on developing 24 new children's centres across Devon as part of the government's drive to lift children out of poverty.
Newton Abbot is to get a children's centre which will provide early education, childcare, family support and health services.