MARLBOROUGH St Mary's School has launched a campaign to raise enough money to buy up-to-date equipment for when their new premises opens next year.

In September, the juniors and infants will be under one roof when they move to their new based behind the school’s current site in George Lane.

Although the construction of the new school is ahead of schedule, both schools are short of state-of-the-art IT equipment so the school is looking for volunteers to start a fundraising campaign to raise £40,000 so that every classroom has a whiteboard, projector and laptop.

“The new facility will be fantastic and we want to have equipment that matches that and will really aid the children’s learning,” said Anne Schwodler, who is the head teacher of both schools.

"The Educational Funding agency along with Wiltshire Council has providing the funding to build the school but they do not supply new equipment to go into the building.

“Some of the IT equipment is a bit dated and we would love to equip our wonderful new building with some state-of-the-art technology.

“However we are not too sure about how to go about this so we are looking for volunteers, such as parents for example, to start a fundraising campaign for the new school to enhance their learning.

“A new electric whiteboard, projector and laptop will cost each classroom approximately £2,000 so if we could do that then that would be fantastic.

“We had a hugely successful triathlon at Marlborough College, raising nearly £2,000, all of which went to PE equipment. We will definitely be doing more fundraisers on top of the campaign.”

When the work is completed, the new school will be able to take up to 420 pupils, including spaces for 20 with special educational needs.

“Excitement for the new school is building already. The children really cannot wait to move in and see it as it is progressing really well,” she said.

“There is still a fair amount to do before it is completed this summer but the rooves are being put in, the floors are down and the place is being tarmacked – it is going so well.

“The current sites have served us really well and are lovely old buildings but now is the time for change and it will be great to merge the two schools as one big family.”