The first stage in an £11.6m school expansion has completed, with a brand new canteen unveiled today (November 3).

Headteacher Andrew Beaumont attended the opening event of the new £1.7m dining hall at Woodbridge High School, in St Barnabas Road, Woodford Green.

Other building work being completed includes a new arts block, a new fitness block with changing rooms, gym and dance studio, resurfaced sports courts and new school entrance and car parks.

Everything is planned to be finished by summer 2016

This will mean an extra 300 pupils will be accommodated by the school.

It started taking on an extra 60 Year 7 children at the start of the last school year, and it will continue to stagger the intake until each year has 60 extra pupils.

Mr Beaumont said: “It looks exactly how I wanted it to be.

“Airy, modern and bright with proper chairs and tables in an environment in which pupils can enjoy eating together.

“I am very grateful and impressed on how it has turned out.

“This time a year ago the canteen was very different.

“It was a cramped space with miserable tables and plastic brown benches.”

Assistant headteacher Jeremy Clifton said he was “proud” of how the staff and pupils coped during the six-month building work.

The hall next door was used as a makeshift dining hall during the construction.

He said: “A canteen renovation is probably the most disruptive project you can do.

“But students have taken it in their stride and got on with it.

“It is really exciting to finish the first stage of the building work.

“The school is going places.”