A SCHOOL that is so short of space that youngsters have music lessons in a changing room is celebrating the award of a £400,000 building grant.

Victoria Park Junior School, Stretford - where classrooms are open-plan - now plans a separate music room, an art room and a library.

Headteacher Kath Sutherland says teachers and youngsters are thrilled to receive the money, announced through the government's Space For Sport And Arts programme.

"When we have peripatetic teachers for violin, clarinet or flute. They need a room with a closed door, so that they can hear the children and so the children can concentrate on the musical sounds," said Ms Sutherland.

"At the moment, they do it in the changing room, but that lowers the status of music, which is a very important part of the curriculum and an important part of artistic life, and gives children the wrong impression.

"Music is something we can give to children that will last for the rest of their lives."

Flexibility

The open-plan design of the school means that teachers have to co-ordinate their plans for music and art lessons so they do not disrupt each other too much.

But the extension to the school will enable greater flexibility. Ms Sutherland said: "Because we're open plan, it's very hard to have art or music lessons because noise travels. A lot of the time we try to use the hall. With this money we will have art lessons in a different part of the school.

"We're going to build an arts room, music room and a library, which we lost to turn it in to an ICT suite. All this is expected to be well used by the community, with letting at night and at the weekend.

"The teachers are delighted by the prospect of having a proper music room.

"This is a wonderful investment in the school. It's an investment in the hard work of the teachers, governors and parents. It's an investment in the future."

Elsewhere in Trafford, schools were given cash awards of more than £800,000, as their share of national Space For Sports And Arts grants totalling £130m.

Schools in Manchester are to receive £3.5m, Salford £2.2m and Rochdale £1.25m.