WORK has finally started on The Ockendon Academy’s new £960,000 classroom block.

The school fought long and hard to get the project off the ground after Thurrock Council tried to claw back some of the funds it had set aside for the build.

Conservative MP for Thurrock, Jackie Doyle-Price, who was a staunch supporter of the school during its battle with the authority, was invited down to the school, in Erriff Drive, to help secure one of the first pegs in the building today.

Jackie said: “This is a brilliant day for the school, and it’s been a long time coming.

“There were a few points when it looked like it might not happen.

“It just goes to show the benefits of academies, the school is free to build the facility it wants for its children without having to go cap in hand to the local authority.”

The future of the much-needed classroom block looked uncertain last year when Thurrock Council demanded £1.2million of the school’s cash reserves back, as it had one of the highest balances in the country.

The row went to the secretary of state for education, who decided Thurrock Council was only entitled to claw £533,465 back.

Jackie paid tribute to head teacher Barbara King’s determination during the row.

She said: “Mrs King was just brilliant, she was never going to not let the project happen.”

The Head teacher herself is thrilled that work has finally begun.

She said: “We’ve worked so hard for this.

”This is a really good day for the school, and there is such a lot of interest from the children about it.

“Its not just about the eight classrooms, which we do really need, but this building will also improve how the children move around the whole school, as it gives us a larger footprint.”

The building, which is expected to be complete in July, is being constructed with precision engineered timber, and will have low energy heating and lighting systems, as well as high level insulation to reduce energy costs.

Mrs King said the short construction period and off-site manufacture of the materials was a key factor in the project, as the school wants to cause as little disruption as possible to neighbouring residents.

Chairman of the governors, Reverend Brian Duckworth came down to the school to see the work in progress.

He said: “It’s really exciting, not only to see something taking shape after all the difficulties we’ve had with the money, but to see such an environmentally friendly building, I’ve never seen anything like it.”