PRIMARY school has been awarded £90,000 to build an extra classroom in a bid to combat overcrowding.

The move comes as part of a national £30m Government spending spree which will see 283 new junior classrooms built at 216 schools across the country.

In Bolton, Bishop Bridgeman CE School in Rupert Street, Great Lever, has become the only school in the Local Education Authority area to qualify for the extra money.

But money has also been allocated to Turton and Edgworth CE/Methodist School, which falls under the control of Blackburn LEA, for a new classroom.

Headteacher at Bishop Bridgeman Graham Burrows said the school was eligible for the cash because its numbers were continuing to grow.

He said: "We are one of the few schools bucking the local trend and our admissions went up to 40 last September."

The Government has pledged to ensure that no primary school class has more than 30 children in it and the money will help to reduce class sizes at the school by the time the new classroom is built in September, 2002.

"We currently have 253 pupils and in the next school year it will rise to 263 and slightly more after this," said Mr Burrows. "We have the staff to cope with the extra numbers but not the space and things will be pretty tight until this new classroom is built.

"It will mean that the school hall will have to double as a classroom in the meantime but I would like to think that the school is facing an increase in numbers because people like what they see here."

But while the Government cash will provide for a new classroom, Mr Burrows says there is more in store for the school.

He said: "The money we will receive will be supplemented by money from the governing body and we will also be creating a new computer suite for the children."

Bolton South-east MP Dr Brian Iddon congratulated the school. He said: "This is part of the Government's commitment to reduce class sizes and I am delighted that Bishop Bridgeman has received this money because they do a lot of excellent work."