A NEW nursery has opened in a new £300,000 building at a primary school.

On Monday, the Bishop of Dorchester, the Rt Rev Colin Fletcher, officially opened the building at St Peter’s CofE Primary School in Cassington.

The project to open the nursery, to replace the former village pre-school, has taken about three years and will see the school now take children from the age of two up to the age of 11.

Headteacher Jeanette Millward said: “The project has really gathered momentum in the past 18 months or so, so to see it completed and now open is really wonderful.

“The children were really pleased to see Bishop Colin at the school. It was important we had him there as we are a church- aided school and the children were so excited for him to be there.

“They were remarkably well behaved and he is very good with both children and adults.

“At one point he asked them to cheer as loud as they could so the whole village would know about the nursery and I am not sure what decibel we got up to, but I don’t think anyone in the village could have not heard them all cheering.”

The Bishop said: “This nursery is a great affirmation both of the quality of St Peter’s as a school and the commitment of the church, the school and the village to serve the whole community.”