A SCHOOL will be able to install interactive smart boards by February after a community fundraising effort.

St Andrew’s Over Hulton CE Primary School needed £15,000 for seven smart boards.

The boards will be put in all classrooms from Reception to Year Six.

Headteacher Simon Charnock said the school had a meeting with its PTA and set out a two to three-year plan to fundraise to afford the boards.

However after a number of fundraising events organised by the school, the Over Hulton Community Group and a donation by a school benefactor, the money has been raised in a matter of months.

Mr Charnock said: “The PTA has been fantastic organising fundraising events and when the Over Hulton Community Group found out about it, they liaised with the school and really wanted to support us.

“I had no idea when they said they would support us, just how much of a massive support they would be.”

The Over Hulton Community Group donated £1,000 from its funds and also organised a murder mystery evening and two coach trips to Windermere which raised more than £1,200.

The manager at the Hydro Hotel in Bowness, Jodi Masterson, who put on a meal for the coach passengers, heard about the school’s mission and also donated all the money she had been given for the meal.

John Bullen of the community group said: “It has been a fantastic effort.

“When Jodi heard, she said she wanted to do her bit and was going to donate the money we had given her to the school, which is just wonderful.”

A Smart Board is an interactive whiteboard that uses touch detection in the same way as normal PC device.

Mr Charnock said they will “massively benefit the children”.

He added: “We are absolutely over the moon.

“It is going to be a massive benefit to the children and will allow us to keep up with the latest technology.

“It has been overwhelming the support we have had.

“The PTA really went above and beyond and the community group has brought an already close community closer.”