FAMILIES and residents celebrated the official opening of Lake Farm Park Academy, Hayes, one of two new schools built this year as part of Hillingdon Council's £150m school investment programme.

Lake will provide 630 primary school places, 90 nursery places and 12 for pupils with special educational needs in Hayes.

To mark its opening, the academy opened its doors to the community and invited pupils and residents to join a family activity day, from cup cake decorating to face painting and dancing giraffes.

Located next to Lake Farm Country Park, the building features a range of energy-efficient and water-saving technologies.

Whilst a cycle area has been included, to encourage pupils and teachers to cycle to school, there is also a parent drop-off car park, available for visitors to the country park over the weekend.

Like many boroughs in London, Hillingdon continues to see an increase in demand for school places in the borough.

The borough is providing 6,500 new primary school places over the next few years.