SUFFOLK'S newest school opened its doors today for its green youngsters to take their first tentative steps.The £2 million eco friendly Beaumont Community Primary School welcomed pupils to its state of the art facilities.

SUFFOLK'S newest school opened its doors today for its green youngsters to take their first tentative steps.

The £2 million eco friendly Beaumont Community Primary School welcomed pupils to its state of the art facilities.

The single storey building has a living "sedum" roof made up of alpine plants that provide insulation as well as protecting the cedar-clad construction from the sun and the wind.

Solar panels generate energy for the under floor heating and the wind turbine will power the school's computers.

Uniquely, school will sell back to the National Grid any electricity generated while the school is closed, to keep its running costs to a minimum.

Huge tanks collect rainwater which is recycled and used to flush the toilets. The school has places for 140 pupils and 26 places in the nursery unit to serve the Aldham Estate and the surrounding area.

Seventy places have been taken up so far but the numbers are growing all the time and more are expected to come when parents see the new facilities on offer.

Headmistress, Stella Burton, the former head at Waldringfield Primary in Woodbridge, was very excited to begin the school's first term. She said: "I was so excited last night that I hardly slept at all.

"The children will reveal the new school uniform to some of the staff who have not seen it yet. We will ease them into the curriculum gently but first we will let them bond with each other and find their feet."

Children have come from as far as Estonia, Germany and Ireland to join the new school as their parents were attracted by the new housing estate.

Ten-year-old Tamara Young had just moved to Hadleigh from Oxfordshire and was very nervous about starting a new school.

She said: "Although I am nervous I am excited as well. I feel lucky to be taught in such a nice building. The roof is really cool."

She also liked her new uniform which is a green sweatshirt with a grey skirt adorned with a golden lion. She added: "It's different as my old one was red. I like the lion it's a cool symbol and the rest is very smart."

Vicky White was also excited about her first day at the school. The 10-year-old who, had just left Whitehouse Junior School, said: "The school is very nice and looks like it will be a lot of fun."