A SCHOOL making a fresh start as an academy has made the first in a series of planned improvements.

Rosa Street Primary School, in Spennymoor, County Durham, converted to academy status on September 1 under the management of Cleves Cross Learning Trust.

The Trust, which runs Cleves Cross Primary School, in Ferryhill, stepped in to help Rosa Street after it was put in special measures by the Government’s education watchdog Ofsted.

Yesterday (Thursday, September 18) the school celebrated the refurbishment of its early years centre, which was officially opened by Spennymoor Town Mayor Councillor Geoff O’Hehir. (CORRECT)

Executive headteacher Alison Lazenby said: “One of the first things for us to address was the learning environment, so over the summer we had two classrooms knocked into one and created access to the outdoors.

“We are making the first steps forward and staff, children, parents and governors are all delighted and positive about the future.”

Leigh Lockey, chair of the school’s governors, added: “We did have a lot of strengths before but it is brilliant to be moving forward.

“The vision from the senior leadership team about what they want and how to get there in stages is very exciting, it is all about making the school the best it can be for the benefit of children and the wider community.”

As an academy, the school is no longer managed by the local education authority Durham County Council and as such gets funding directly from the Department for Education.

Funds from the previous council budget and new Government funding paid for the work.