WORK on a new primary school for the children in the town centre is progressing on time for a September opening.

Located on Queens Drive, the new school will serve as an extension to Holy Cross School which is set to take on an increased number of pupils next year.

Work on the new building started shortly before Christmas and is on course to be finished in July, ready to open a few months later. The whole project is being overseen by the Bristol Diocese, who run Holy Cross School.

Headteacher Tony McAteer said: “It is very nice to be able to see something happening. Myself and the senior management team go down regularly to see the progress and we put up pictures so the parents can see what is happening.

“Everything seems to be going to plan. The target date is for everything to be completed by July and as far as we are aware that is due to be met. The contractors have told us they are confident of this.

“Everyone is looking forward to seeing the completed building.”

When the school opens it will take on two reception classes and one Year 1 class. In total there will be around an extra 60 places.

Holy Cross has agreed to take what is known as a bulge class next year to deal with the increased demand on places.

Council figures have shown that in the next two academic years there will be more children in the central area looking to go to school than permanent places.

Because this demand then drops after that period, there is no need to build a new school. Holy Cross will take on the extra spaces for the first year, while talks are ongoing with other schools in the area for the 2016/17 year.

There has been talk that all of Holy Cross will move down to the Queens Drive site in September but no announcement has been made.

“As it stands we will have the two reception classes and the one class for Year One,” said Tony.

“The application for places is still going on so we will have to see how many places have been filled but we have 60 places.”

Today is the final day on which parents can apply for their child to go to a particular school. Applications can be made at ems.swindon.gov.uk/ccsenterprise_admissionsonline_live.