While some of these requests are unlikely to be met, their new school will at least have windows low enough to allow a view of something other than just sky.

Frant was opened in 1852 and is now a listed building. It is so cramped that children have PE lessons in a neighbouring school and dance lessons in the village hall. They push tables aside to hold assemblies in a classroom and do small group work in the playground or cloakroom.

When Ofsted visited in 2006, the inspector decided the school provided a good quality of education “despite the severe limitations of the buildings”.

Now, under the Government’s primary capital programme, the council has been granted Pounds 3.35 million to build a new school on land nearby.

Frant’s 115 pupils are due to move out of their Victorian building in October next year.

Paul Shefford, the headteacher, said: “We have been quite successful where we are, but some of our energies go into just managing to cope with our difficult environment.

“We would like to retain some of the charm, but lose the challenge.”

East Sussex has been given money for six other primaries: Hurst Green CofE in Etchingham (complete rebuild), Chyngton and Cradle Hill in Seaford, Castledown in Hastings, and Churchwood and St Mary Star of the Sea in St Leonards (all major improvements). hw.