New classrooms officially opened at Hucknall primary school
Pupils at Leen Mills Primary School in Hucknall have officially opened their brand-new classrooms following a £1.6 million investment by Nottinghamshire County Council.
A special ceremony took place on Tuesday (6 October), marking the completion of a project to replace ageing mobile classrooms with a modern, permanent building boasting two new classrooms.
The event was attended by Councillor James Walker-Gurley, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Asset Management, his deputy Councillor Richard Ward, Councillor Rory Green, Cabinet Member for Children and Families and Councillor Simon Wright, Cabinet Member for Education and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
They joined staff and pupils in cutting the ribbon to officially declare the new classrooms open.
The new building provides pupils and teachers with high-quality, modern learning spaces while also freeing up valuable space elsewhere on the school site for a new cricket play area.
The classrooms have also been designed with a range of safety and energy-efficient features, including a linked fire alarm, air source heat pumps and solar panels, helping to reduce the school’s energy use and running costs.
Work on the project began in March 2026, with the new facilities completed in time for the start of the new school year.
Councillor Walker-Gurley said: “This is a great investment in the future of Leen Mills Primary School and more importantly in the future of the children who learn there.
“It was lovely to come back to the school for the opening and see the pupils taking centre stage and cutting the ribbon on their amazing new classrooms.
“We have a responsibility to make sure our schools have buildings that are safe, modern and fit for purpose – and this project is a great example of how we are investing in those schools where improvements are most needed.
“The new classrooms provide an environment that has instilled a sense of pride in the kids there, and offers are much better environment for learning – while the energy efficient feature features will help the school manage its running costs moving forward.”
Headteacher Karen Goldson said the new classrooms provide pupils with modern, high-quality learning spaces to enhance their educational experience.
She said: “It is fantastic to see how quickly the children and staff have embraced the new spaces. They are not simply new classrooms; they represent an investment in our pupils and their learning.”
The project was designed, project and cost managed by Arc Partnership, a joint venture between the county council and SCAPE.
Daniel Maher, managing director at Arc Partnership, said: “We are delighted to have delivered these important improvements at Leen Mills Primary School on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council.
“The replacement of two classrooms has provided pupils with modern, high-quality learning spaces which will support them for years to come. At the same time, the project has ensured long term cost savings for the school and the county council.”
