BUILDING work is due to start on an extension to Ross High School after Christmas.

The first phase of the planned extension has now been officially approved by East Lothian Council.

The extension will host a PE staff base, changing and WC facilities, as well as the main hall and storage area.

The hall will be accessed from within the existing school building.

A small amount of demolition will take place in order to create the entrance way.

Phase two of the extension involves a new teaching block with 14 new classrooms, housing languages, art, ICT and a social area with a small canteen.

The second phase is yet to be formally approved but contractors are due to start building work on both parts of the project after Christmas.

Preliminary groundwork at the school has already started.

The council set aside £10 million out of its five-year capital improvement budget in February for the work, which it is estimated will take about a year.

Headteacher Paul Reynolds said: “It’s great to see some action after a long planning period.

“After Christmas, the building work will start.

“The site manager from FES is actually a former Ross High pupil so that means the builders have some extra investment in the school, which is quite nice, and relations have been really good.

“The disruption to the pupils has been very minimal.

“I would like to thank enjoyleisure and the Loch Centre for allowing us to use their facilities to host some of our PE classes at our busiest times of the week.

“The pupils and staff have also been great and very flexible.”