A new £16.9 million school block has been unveiled.

Susan Snowdon, headteacher of Beal High School in Woodford Bridge Road, Clayhall, unveiled the new building on Tuesday.

The school will now be able to accommodate an additional 840 pupils, increasing the student populaton to 2,440, with forms of entry increasing from eight to 12.

The new building includes teaching spaces, a learning resource centre, an assembly hall and sports hall.

Building work for the block, which will accomodate years seven, eight and nine, started in May 2013 and finished this month.

Mrs Snowdon was made a CBE last month in the Queen’s birthday honours list for services to education.

The school was rated outstanding by Ofsted under Mrs Snowdon's leadership in 2012, and converted to an academy this year.