A VILLAGE school will open its doors to three-year-olds in the New Year.

Bearpark primary School, near Durham, is setting up a small unit for nursery age children in January.

The school, which has 73 pupils aged to 11, will be boosted by the presence of eight younger children.

Bearpark Parish Council has given £1, 750 and the village’s residents association £100 for the project.

“The money will be used to redecorate one of the areas and also to buy some furniture and some resources, “said headteacher Jill Hodgson.

“We have members of the parish council and also the residents association who are school governors.

“We have worked closely with the community and the parish council and the residents association and that is why they have donated the money. “We will take three-year-olds in January and it is our intention to build on that and take two-year-olds.”