APPLICATIONS are open for a brand new primary school which is set to open in Basingstoke next year.

Parents can now apply for one of 30 reception places at Castle Hill Primary School Rooksdown Campus, which is scheduled to open in September 2015.

The one-form entry primary, in Rooksdown, will be an extension of Castle Hill Junior School, in Winklebury. John Martin, headteacher at Castle Hill Junior School, will lead both schools, and the existing board of governors will also oversee the new school in Rooksdown.

The Rooksdown Campus will accommodate key stage one and two children. Castle Hill Junior School will continue to offer key stage two, while the adjacent, separately-managed infant school will continue unaffected.

Building work is hoped to be complete next summer, to enable the first reception class to start in September.

The new school will be a brick and timber-clad two-storey building next to Rooksdown Community Centre, and is hoped to create a neighbourhood hub with outdoor teaching and play space for children.

Councillor Peter Edgar, Hampshire County Council’s executive member for education, said: “The new Rooksdown Campus will be an exciting modern learning space, designed by our award-winning in-house architects and interior designers. It will be a special place for next September’s reception age children to begin their school career.

“As pupil numbers continue to grow in Hampshire, the county council has committed to a £149million planned investment to build new schools and expand others to create an additional 8,000 primary school places over the next three years.

“We are excited and are grateful for the support of John Martin and Castle Hill in this imaginative project. The Rooksdown Campus is a great example of our vision in practice.”

Mr Martin said: “We are delighted by the warm welcome and support we have received from the Rooksdown community.”