TEAMWORK has paid off for a primary school which now uses the latest technology to educate its students.

When Bath and North East Somerset council offered to refurbish the children's toilets at Southdown Junior School, staff seized the chance to redesign part of the building.

Now, nine months later, the school in Mount Road, Bath, has opened its new computer suite and community room.

Headteacher Teresa Austin said: "It has been a hectic nine months and we are so grateful to all those who helped us especially our sponsors Hebron and Medlock.

"The pupils are already surfing the net on 17 state-of-the-art computers. The digital camera and scanner is being put to good use by art classes, all in a super room complete with security, carpets, anti-glare lights and even special chairs.

"The weekly coffee mornings in the community room with its purpose-built facilities are just the start and we hope to use it for community education projects to help many of the local people who have helped us."

She said: "The whole project has been pure magic and I can't thank people enough. We have reached the top of our mountain through teamwork, by working together.

"We've got lots of plans as to how we can use the community room, all of which which we are now exploring."

The new rooms were officially opened by Mayor Angela Godfrey. Cllr Godfrey said: "No school works in isolation and the community is what it's all about. People have a very special affection for this school."

Rod Farmer, of sponsors Hebron and Medlock, said: "We do a lot of sponsorship but we realised there is a big gap between computing in secondary schools and that in primary schools.

"I'm sure children with find this a huge advantage when information technology plays such an important part in their future lives."