Highgate Primary School’s bid to raise £65,000 to build an amphitheatre in the playground has been boosted by the involvement of a housing developer.

Bellway Homes – which is building 85 apartments at nearby Highgate Court – has pledged to donate bricks, blocks, mortar and plants for the project.

The team visited the school to hand out prizes to students who had created artworks based on the outside stage design.

More than 85 per cent of the funds have already been raised thanks to the efforts of the parent school association and staff and student excitement is certainly growing in Storey Road.

Headteacher William Dean said: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome the involvement of Bellway Homes with our project to build an outside stage at Highgate Primary School.

“This community facility will provide a unique space for our children to play and perform for years to come – and is a wonderful way for Bellway Homes to make a lasting contribution to our local community. We are extremely grateful.”

Bellway Homes sales manager Jody Bryant said: “There is such a great community spirit in Highgate and everyone looks after each other. As soon as we heard Highgate Primary School needed donations for their outside stage we wanted to help in any way we could. It is an excellent school and this is our way of helping out in the community.

“We were delighted to have so many art submissions to choose from. The pupils’ passion into their designs proves how important the outside stage is for enabling performance to the wider community.”