IT was back to school at last today for hundreds of Huddersfield children.

Pupils of Moldgreen Community Primary School passed through the gates of their new temporary school building in Lister Street, alongside Ravensknowle Park, after an extra week's holiday.

Demolition work is due to start on the old building in The Avenue on February 2 and work on the new school on the site will start over Easter.

Mrs Maxine Donaghy, mother of eight-year-old Aidan, said she was happy with the move from the old Victorian building.

"It had to be done, but it is a bit unsettling for the children. They will get used to it quickly though," she said.

However there was concern that Kirklees Council's highways department had not yet finished installing the new traffic lights at Wakefield Road at the junction with Lister Street.

Mrs Karen Horne, mother of Jessica, 10, said: "Some children have come here on their own and its terrible that the traffic lights are not working."

"They've been badly organised, but they have had plenty of time to do them."

Mrs Trudy Holroyd, mother of Abigail, five, said the puddles in the playground were a bit of a shambles.

But everyone gave the inside of the building the thumbs up.

The new school is made up of portable buildings. There are 11 classrooms along with a school hall, autism unit, reception, kitchen, toilets and office space.

The library was omitted from the original plans and will be arriving shortly.

The diesel generators which are providing the school's power will be replaced in the next fortnight when mains electricity is connected.

Head teacher Mr Bob Whitehead said a gate needed to be installed at the rear of the school.

He said: "It hasn't been easy moving everything from the old school into what was effectively a building site last week.

"We couldn't move in yesterday because the building was not passed by building control inspectors until yesterday morning.

"I hope that when we move into the new building next year that it will be completely finished."

Pupils Emily Senior and Israel Johnson, both aged nine, were pleased with the new school and their new classroom.

Emily said: "It's got lots of heaters. And in our old classroom only one window opened, but here all of them open and there are coat pegs in the classroom instead of in the corridor."

Israel added: "It feels nice and it's clean."