A ROMSEY school has been loaned a tent from the British Army to help provide more learning space for pupils amid coronavirus.

Children at Romsey Abbey C of E Primary School, Church Lane, watched members of the British Army’s 165 Port Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps, erect a tent in the school's grounds on Tuesday, June 23.

The tent will now be used to teach Year 6 pupils.

This comes after the Government announced if schools had the space they could start welcoming back pupils in years 2, 3, 4 and 5 as coronavirus lockdown continues to ease.

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Hampshire Chronicle: Soldiers from 165 Port Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps after assembling the tent in grounds of Romsey Abbey C of E Primary School Soldiers from 165 Port Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps after assembling the tent in grounds of Romsey Abbey C of E Primary School

Year 6 class teacher, Connie Hammond, said: "I have lots of surprise leavers activities planned for Year 6 to use this lovely extra space along with the school field.

"We will also use it for some of our Personal, Social, Health and Education and Science lessons.

"The children will be able to have picnic lunches in the tent too, which they’re all very excited about.

"They loved watching the soldiers putting it up.”

Headteacher of Romsey Abbey C of E Primary School, Julie-Anne Palfrey, said: "For the last few weeks only Years R, 1 and 6 have been allowed to attend school; we are delighted, however, that from today we can welcome back to school every child who is currently able to come.

"This means we have 12 bubbles operating.

"Each bubble is led by a teacher or teaching assistant and so 87 per cent of our pupils are back in school and we know that a few more are joining us next week.

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Hampshire Chronicle: The soldiers assembling the tent The soldiers assembling the tent

"Our aim over the next four weeks is for the children to be supported with their mental health, have some social contact beyond their own family, be with a trusted school adult and get back into some kind of school routine again before September.

"Of course, learning will be taking place, but this is not yet our priority.”

Mrs Palfrey added: “We haven’t forgotten those who are not yet able to come back.

"These pupils still receive a weekly email from their teacher with the links to learning and a phone call each week from our Family Support worker, Mrs Badminton.

"We have received some lovely photographs this week of the work these pupils are doing at home.”

Children in Years 2, 3 ,4 and 5 returned on Monday, June 22.