PUPILS at King Alfred’s Academy in Wantage welcomed a special guest as the school officially opened its new restaurant and teaching block.

The £3.5m project consists of a 250-seat restaurant, as well as kitchens which allow fresh food to be prepared daily on the site.

Wantage MP Ed Vaizey visited the school on Friday to officially open the block, which was completed earlier this year. The new eating area also has wi-fi available throughout and the school hopes that community organisations will consider using the facilities for their events.

Pupil Frances Ward said: “I really like the pizzas which are made to order and you can choose from a great range of toppings.”

The new building replaced an old canteen block on the school’s centre site, which also had outdated classrooms for dance and drama.

Headteacher Jo Halliday said: “The new teaching and learning facilities, as well as our new restaurant and kitchens, have really enhanced the centre site and are being enjoyed by everyone.

“We settled into it very quickly and students are really appreciating the benefits.”