THERE was excitement at Holtspur School yestoday as nine-year-old Daniel Smith cut the ribbon to open a new £8,500 outdoor classroom.

The whole school gathered with parents as head teacher Mrs Zeun praised PTA members for their “amazing efforts” to raise the cash.

The idea for the classroom came after pupils at the Cherry Tree Road school forged links with a school in Kenya, where all classes are taught outdoors.

Daniel was chosen to cut the ribbon by winning a competition to name the new classroom. He came up with the name ‘Darasa’, which means classroom in Swahili.

Mrs Zeun said: “The children will now be able to enjoy lessons in the fresh air, just like their Kenyan friends...once it gets a little warmer, that is.”

She said there had been an inventive list of suggestions to choose from and joked that she was quite tempted the call it 'the Zeun Zone’.