AN ambitious York school is to undergo major improvements totalling more than £125,000.

Our Lady's RC Primary School, in Windsor Garth, Acomb, has secured funding to install a new computer suite and a special lift to give disabled pupils access to the top floor.

A new £45,000 car park will also be constructed at the rear of the school in order to keep vehicles away from the playground.

The Evening Press recently reported that an adventure trail complete with ropes and bridges, had been opened at the school thanks to funds raised by the Friends of Our Lady's School, children, parents and parishioners.

Head teacher Tracey Ralph, who took over at Our Lady's last year, said the improvements would be of great benefit to pupils.

The £30,000 computer suite, which was partially funded through the LEA's Access and Inclusion Initiative, has 30 monitors and will replace the current IT centre housed in an outdoor mobile classroom.

Mrs Ralph said she hoped to set up a "twilight club" in which pupils without computer access at home could use the suite to do homework and surf the net.

"These are exciting times for the school," she said, "We're remodelling certain areas to benefit the pupils.

"We're hoping that IT will be a big growth area for the school. The children will now have one computer each."

The new lift, which may cost £50,000 to install, will be used by four disabled children at the school who have previously been unable to easily access the upstairs classrooms.

"It was proving a problem because classes were being forced to move around," Mrs Ralph said.

"The lift will make a huge difference to the pupils who can't get up the stairs." Our Lady's will be holding an open morning on Friday, November 8, where prospective parents will have the chance to attend an assembly and discuss some of the proposed improvements themselves.

The assembly starts at 9.15am.

Anyone who cannot make it can arrange an appointment with Mrs Ralph by phoning 01904 791646.

Updated: 12:06 Tuesday, October 22, 2002