MORE than half a million pounds of building work has recently started at an Alcester school.

Alcester Grammar School is extending the music block, adding a three-storey changing and dining block and a number of new classrooms.

The £600,000 contract was obtained by AC Lloyd of Leamington Spa, which has already undertaken three projects at the school.

The new music block will provide tuition and practice rooms, while the extended three-storey building will include changing rooms and a new dining room.The new classroom block will contain four classrooms, an ITC suite and an additional science laboratory.

The previous work AC Lloyd has completed at the school includes extensions to the main hall, library, teaching blocks and the science department.

In total, about £3.5 million has been spent on new buildings at the school in recent years, much of it with the present contractors.

The nature of the original buildings and the later developments has meant that a number of architectural styles can be found on the one site creating what the contractor has called a "constructional challenge".

Headteacher Andy Shearn said: "I'm pleased AC Lloyd obtained this contract as they understand the importance of minimal disruption for pupils yet, at the same time, of meeting completion dates.

"There are three stages to this development, one part of the building work has already been completed and the final stage will be finished in March next year, just in time for my retirement.

"It's all going very well at the moment and everything is running to schedule."