TWO major building projects are set to transform a Burnley school into a modern facility with a secure walkway connecting the infant and junior buildings.

The first scheme under way at Ightenhill Primary School in Alder Street, is a new kitchen and dining hall.

According to headteacher John Fairbrother, the old facilities in Lionel Street "passed their sell-by date" many years ago. This £330,000 scheme is being paid for by the Government's New Deals for Schools initiative, which aims to bring school buildings up to date.

Mr Fairbrother said: "It's long overdue and would bring that facility on site.

"The new building will double as an assembly and PE hall.

"The kitchen will be in the old infant hall and a quarter of it will be a serving area. Tagged onto it, on the existing infants' playground, is a new bigger hall. This will be used for full school assemblies."

Mr Fairbrother foresees this project being finished by the end of term.

The next, hoped to be completed by late August is another major overhaul costing £106,000, of which £46,000 will come from another pot of government money and the rest from the school's reserves and 'Devolved Formula Capital' money -- a separate government sum for small building projects.

Its main aim is to join the infant building to the main school with an enclosed walkway, which will include a platform lift for disabled pupils.

"It's not conducive to a good start to the day, when children have to come across to the hall wind-blown and wet," added Mr Fairbrother.

"There is also a constant flow to and from buildings between lessons."

The offices and reception area are also to be moved and given a face-lift, so that the main entrance to the school will be at the front rather than the side.

Mr Fairbrother said: "We are trying to keep disruption to a minimum by moving classes out of a severely effected room into the school library, so the library is now a classroom.

"The new project will have a significant security issue because the two main entrances to the junior and infant building will be taken out of use with the building of the link walkway.

"That's going to cause some headaches -- not least in the offices, which will be out of use. They will have to be relocated."