MULTI-MILLION pound plans for a new village school have been announced. 

Kenton School was devastated by flooding a year ago.

Now, school leaders have unveiled proposals, through funding secured from the Schools Funding Programme, for a replacement new school for 105 students and a pre-school. 

Students have been taught in temporary accommodation at the Hope Centre in Dawlish for the last 12 months. 

Now, the school has moved again to a temporary base at nearby Powderham Castle to be closer to the village for the children and their families. 

The set up there will be in place until November when it is planned to use temporary portable classrooms back at the school based on the playing fields. 

It will mean a welcome return to the village until the permanent new school is built. 

Executive head teacher Lorraine Curry said she is deeply grateful for the funding. 

She said: ‘This is not just an investment in bricks and mortar; it’s an investment in the future of our children and the entire Kenton community. 

'We have been through a challenging time, but this new school symbolises hope and resilience. 

‘We can’t wait to welcome our children back to a place where they can learn, grow, and thrive.’

The plan is to build a small school, similar to the existing school and to ‘maximise assets for community use’.

The design has not been finalised yet and is still open to change. 

Residents were invited to a meeting in Kenton Victory Hall to hear the update on plans for the school and its reinstatement in the medium and long term. 

The ‘vital’ funding will mean a complete rebuild following the flooding which caused extensive damage to the current facilities. 

This funding, provided by the Schools Rebuilding Programme, marks a significant step forward in the recovery efforts and ensures the children will soon have a safe and modern learning environment.

The flood, September 2023, left the school building severely damaged, forcing the children and staff to move out. 

Books, furniture and equipment were destroyed. 

Mrs Curry explained: ‘Since then, the community has come together to support temporary measures to continue the education of the children, but the need for a permanent solution has been urgent.’

The rebuilding programme is due to start as soon as possible.

During the construction, children will continue their education in temporary facilities, with minimal disruption to their learning.

The school community is planning a series of events to involve students, parents, and local residents in the planning and design process. 

Mrs Curry said: ‘These events will ensure that the new school reflects the values and needs of the entire Kenton community.’

News of the funding agreement comes several months after the school received a boost following an Ofsted inspection. 

Despite being in temporary accommodation and having to replace resources, including restocking the school library, inspectors gave a Good rating, praising school leaders, children and the community for tacking the challenges it faced.