Work has officially begun on a new 210-place primary school in Stansted Mountfitchet.

Dunmow Broadcast: Groundbreaking ceremony for a new primary school in Stansted. Picture: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCILGroundbreaking ceremony for a new primary school in Stansted. Picture: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL (Image: Archant)

Magna Carta Primary Academy, which is already open and currently based at the Peter Kirk Centre while the project is completed, will move to the new building ahead of September 2018.

The scheme will cost £6.4million and, once finished, will see a whole new school built on the former St Mary’s Primary School site in St John’s Road.

Councillor Ray Gooding, Essex County Council’s cabinet member for education, said: “We have a fantastic track record of investing in new school places and were able to offer a record percentage of children their parents’ preferred school for the 2017/18 academic year.

“Essex is continuing to grow and we have committed to spending about £230million on creating new school places over the next three years.

“Projects such as this one are crucial if we are to continue to meet the rising demand for school places and I am delighted work is now underway.”

The school will include seven classrooms, as well as group rooms, a hall, a room specifically built to provide additional support for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, and other facilities.