WORK has begun on the construction of a school in Highbridge which will eventually accommodate 420 students.

Churchfield Primary School will have 14 classrooms once completed, with the work expected to take a year to complete.

The school was formed last year after Beechfield Infant School and St John’s Junior School merged, and has been housed in temporary classrooms since.

Vinci Construction UK Limited was awarded �4.6million to build the school by Somerset County Council.

Headteacher Wendy Nelder said: “Both our staff and pupils are very excited that work is about to begin. While our temporary classrooms are working out fine, it will be great to have a new, modern school ready for the autumn term in 2012.”