Pupils and staff at a Derbyshire school are celebrating the official opening of a £335,000 extension.

Bennerley Fields Specialist Speech and Language College, Ilkeston, has been extended to offer three extra rooms for therapy work and community activities.

As part of the new development additional staff have been taken on to offer support to children with communication difficulties. These include a specialist teacher, two speech and language therapists, two higher level specialist teaching assistants, an occupational therapist and an administrator.

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The college, in Stratford Street, will provide specialist support for youngsters with a range of disorders and delays in speech and language.

Staff there will provide students with continual support, training and development, as well as direct therapy.

Councillor Mike Longden, Derbyshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Education celebrated the official opening with staff and students.

He said: "We're delighted to have this specialist provision available in the county for any child who may need it.

"The expert team of staff have a wonderful new environment to support their work in helping pupils fulfil their potential."

The college, which has 78 pupils aged two to 16 years, achieved specialist status in 2009. It is the fourth special school in Derbyshire to gain specialist status.

(CD/KMcA)