A BEXLEYHEATH primary school is looking forward to a bright future as a new building takes shape on its site.

Gravel Hill Primary School in Watling Street is having a new 12-classroom block built which will include a new library and ICT suite.

The new addition will see the single-form school double in size by 2018 when each year group will have two classes.

The computer suite will have 30 individual stations and the school has a set of tablets which currently go between the classes.

The rebuild is being paid for by Bexley Council with government funding and is part of a £22million programme which is also seeing improvements at Peareswood, Northumberland Heath, Christ Church, Crook Log and Old Bexley primary schools.

Headteacher Miss Neill told News Shopper: "I am tremendously excited to see this building completed.

"The new building reflects what we are doing really well and that is providing a good education for the children in our area.

"Over 50 per cent of the children we have in the school are not from the local area and travel from places as far as Stone, Albany Park and Erith to come to us."

The building will be finished by June this year and school staff will spend the summer holidays moving everything from the old school building into the new school.

The building is already taking shape and workers can be seen hard at work from Albion Road.

Miss Neill added: "The lack of school places is a problem across the whole borough, it is not just us.

"We have a huge demand from the community and always have a waiting list.

"By 2018 the school will have two classes in each year group.

"The old building will be opened up and used for PE activities.

"We are a community school and we are going to continue with that feeling.

"I know all the children's names and they know they can come to me with any problems.

"We are a very close community and even though we are expanding we will still be the same."

The school will have a space for 420 children once complete.