PUPILS and staff at Notting Hill and Ealing High School celebrated the opening of their new Junior School yesterday (7).

Girls were welcomed by Junior School head Kate Bevan, who cut a ribbon before they walked through an arch of bio-degradable paper flowers and leaves and entered the -completed building for the first time.

With sustainability at its heart, the carbon-neutral development provides inside and outside learning in an eco-friendly building.

The site includes 14 new classrooms, with additional sixth-form classrooms, specialist teaching spaces for music, art, science and computing, a light-filled library with rooftop lantern and a hall with tiered seating.

A science garden, forest school area, dedicated play area for reception pupils and an additional playground for other year groups complete the development.

Kate Bevan said: “The construction and design choices reflect the values we instil in our students, fostering a deep respect for the planet and a commitment to being part of the solution to the world’s challenges.”

The building has a sustainable wooden frame, south-facing panels on the roof, to catch sunlight and supply electricity, a highly-insulated and airtight building fabric, air source heat pumps and a heat recovery system.