Pupils have waved goodbye to the Victorian primary school in Sherston as staff prepare to move into a £1.2million state-of the-art building.

About 140 pupils bade farewell to the school on Monday and embarked on their half term holiday, which began four days earlier to allow equipment and books to be moved to the new building in Knockdown Road.

The new school can accommodate 180 pupils and boasts six modern classrooms, a large multi-purpose hall and a computer suite.

It also has extensive outdoor facilities including grass sports pitches and a hard court for games.

Headteacher Nick Bowditch said pupils were excited at the prospect of going to the new school.

He said: "They were not sad saying goodbye to the old building because they are all looking forward to going to the new school. The old school was very spread out with lots of mobile buildings. The new one is a lot warmer and offers more space."

School governor Richard Langley said the whole community was delighted with the new building.

He said: "Parents and grandparents from the village are all chuffed with the new school. Everyone is very impressed with it."

Mr Langley added that as well as moving to a new school, pupils had found time to raise £1,200 for the tsunami appeal, by holding a bring and buy sale and a sponsored walk.

The pupils' first day at the new building will be on February 21. The next day the Bishop of Bristol, the Rev Mike Hill, will lead a service from the old school to the new building.