A SCHOOL in Taunton is building a £4million state-of-the-art dining hall.

The project represents the single biggest investment in Taunton School's infrastructure for a generation.

The school's vision is to create a facility that will be a place to "nourish body and soul".

The dining hall, which will be one of the largest event spaces in the area, will also be available to the community for hire, complete with adaptable spaces for conferences, meetings and events with the latest lighting technology and energy-saving devices.

Headmaster Lee Glaser said: "This multi-million redevelopment of the school’s kitchen and dining facilities is the single biggest investment in the school’s infrastructure for a generation and the impact it will have on our whole school community and beyond will be hugely positive.

"We take the mental health of our pupils very seriously with a commitment to support wellbeing as much as academic and sporting attainment.

"Eating good food in a relaxed environment is an integral part of looking after the whole child."

The new dining hall will be able to accommodate up to 400 people at a sitting.

Taunton School’s existing 170-seat dining hall was never designed to accommodate the 1,500 it now serves daily in staggered sessions. It will be reconfigured to create a new sixth form centre and additional teaching rooms.

Mr Glaser said well-designed spaces have a beneficial influence on pupils’ behaviour and enhance a sense of wellbeing for everyone, with evidence linking good school buildings with positive impact on pupil engagement and attainment and teacher productivity.

Architects Wotton Donoghue are creating a contemporary, high-performance building incorporating natural light and the latest technology in acoustic design while complementing the historic main building.

Construction has already started on site led by Dorchester-based CG Fry and the project is expected to be completed in spring 2020.