Local councillors and business leaders gathered to celebrate the “topping out” of a new free school being built at Oulton.

The Limes Primary Academy will be run by the REAch2 Academy Trust and initially offer 60 reception class places, with a capacity eventually to accommodate 420 children.

It has been designed by Concertus Design and Property Consultants and built by Barnes Construction, both based in Ipswich.

Construction work started in July last year and is due to be completed in the early autumn. The academy will also have a pre-school facility on the site, offering 30 places.

The topping out, a traditional ceremony marking the point in a project at which the structure reaches its highest point, involved Suffolk county councillor James Reeder, Mark Bailey from Barnes Construction and David Osborne from Concertus, laying the last piece of felt capping on the roof.

Mr Reeder said: The academy has been designed to be adaptable and flexible, so it can be used by the local community outside the school day.

“It’s great to see that the school building is progressing well, and there is no doubt that when completed, this will be an exciting development for Oulton, providing much-needed additional school places to the area.”

Head teacher Kate Cracknell added: “We are very pleased with the progress being made on site. The Limes Primary Academy will offer exceptional opportunities for learning for everyone in a building which we hope will become the central hub of the community.”