ALL pupils at the Avenue Primary School have now returned to lessons following last week’s arson attack, which destroyed two classrooms and caused £200,000 of damage.

Pupils in Year 5 and 6 were forced to miss three days of lessons while staff ordered in new equipment and set up two new makeshift classrooms.

Headteacher Stuart Porter said the school has ‘come back strong’ and is now virtually back to normal.

He said: “The priority was making sure everything was returned to normal as quickly as possible and getting pupils back into lessons as fast as we could.

“All of our tables and chairs were destroyed so we ordered them in and they arrived on Monday morning. We spent the early part of the morning getting them set up in the library and in a training room, which have now become our classrooms.

“Pupils have all been absolutely fantastic, getting stuck into their work straight away and not letting it be a big distraction.

“We gave them a chance to see the damage when they returned on Monday so that they could get their heads around what has happened.

"Understandably, they were quite emotional as they had important possessions in there.

“I then delivered an assembly to the school on resilience and how things like this only make you stronger.”

This morning (Wednesday) pupils designed phoenixs to represent the school rising from the ashes.

Mr Porter said the response from the local community has been ‘overwhelming’.

“So many people have shown their support which has been amazing,” he added.

“The JustGiving appeal has now raised £725 and Morrisons made us their charity of the week.

“Lyon’s Seafood said they would like to send a carpet business in to replace the damaged ones and pay for the costs and former pupils have donated their pocket money.

“There are so many more examples of people and businesses offering their support and I must say a huge thank you to them.

“If it wasn’t for them, there’s no way pupils would have been able to return so quickly.”

The fire was started by a 34-year-old homeless man who pleaded guilty in Salisbury Magistrates' Court the day after the incident.