A SMALL Dorset first school has received £17,000 worth of new facilities thanks to generous grants.

Now staff and pupils at St James' First School in Alderholt hope the community will get behind them for the next project on their wish list.

The school has already bagged a new outdoor area for its Reception pupils and an improved library.

Now they have unveiled plans for a new outdoor forest school.

Headteacher, Jo Hudson, said: "We are thrilled to have such fantastic new facilities for our children.

"The new outdoor play area will really enrich the learning of our Reception children as play is such an important part of introducing the curriculum to them.

“We are also very pleased that our library is much improved. We place great importance in reading and it’s essential the children have access to free books as Alderholt does not have a library."

The new £10,000 outdoor area – complete with soft flooring, wooden play equipment, sand pit and role play house - was funded with lottery money and a Tesco 'Bags of help' grant.

It also includes water trays and shoots, a mud kitchen, reading chair and several other smaller toys to play with in the new area.

The library improvements, comprising new furniture, carpet and new books and laptops, were funded by £7,000 worth of community grants.

And now the school would like to see the community step in again and help with its next set of plans.