A POPULAR primary school which was asked to expand by the council is looking forward to getting a new playground.

Scarcroft Primary School was asked to take on 15 extra pupils a year by the City of York Council. The project included plans to fit two extra classrooms into the school building as well as refurbishment work and proposals to divide up the school car park to create a second play area.

Following a consultation, the council’s executive agreed funding for the project in March 2017 and refurbishment work inside the Grade II listed building was completed in September, just in time for the new school year to start.

Head teacher Anna Cornhill said children and staff are now looking forward to work beginning on the final part of the project, the new playground.

She said: “The parents, children and staff have been great - we are now a 14 class school.

“We are looking forward to having the work completed as soon as possible.

“The playground will give us an extra bit of space.

“It’s going to make a massive difference, it’s just going to mean the children have more space to move around. We’re hoping it should be ready in time for the children in the summer term.”

The play area will be built on part of the school’s car park, reducing the number of parking spaces from 37 to 23. A fence will be built to separate the car park from the new games area and the number of bike stands will be increased from 16 spaces to 42.

The car park entrance gate will also be upgraded to a new electrical gate with an access code. Planning documents say: “This would help prevent any illicit parking or access to the site, and also improve the security of the school.”

However a gate will also be built in the new fence to allow extra cars to park temporarily on the new play area during weekend and evening events.

Scarcroft Primary School was one of three founder schools that joined together to form the South Bank Multi Academy Trust in April 2016.

It is located within a conservation area and was designed in 1896 by York architect W. H. Brierley. Planning documents say it is one of the finest examples of his work.