Heybridge Primary School will receive £3000 to support their project to upgrade the outdoor space.

The money, donated by housebuilder Persimmon Homes Essex, will be used to purchase sails to create shaded spots for the children to use in the Summer.

Headteacher Simon Waltham explained: "We are blessed with a huge outside space for our children to use during lessons and at break times. 

"However, we have no shade and when we have 400 children out there in the summer, it can be a real struggle."

The parent, teacher and friends' association had been fundraising to upgrade the outdoor space, and the school will soon see one section of the playground resurfaced.

Mr Waltham adds: "We have an excellent PFTA who run a significant number of events throughout the year. Without their work, we would not be able to undertake this project.

"The donation from Persimmon is amazing and is hugely appreciated. It will make a massive difference to what we can offer our children."

Matt Atton, Land Director of Persimmon Homes Essex, said: "We are proud to support great causes in those communities in which we are working and investing in.

"We heard the school needed a helping hand to bring their project to fruition and were delighted to be able to offer a donation."

Persimmon also donated copies of their fiction book Cones and Building Homes which follows four traffic cones as they learn about construction site safety.

Persimmon Essex has plans to develop a site in Heybridge, aiming to create 281 new homes in the village. The project will see a new bus stop created on Broad Street Green Road, new play parks and areas of public open space. However, the project has been hit with local backlash.