The £7m school, at Love Lane, replaces Tilling Green Infant School and The Freda Gardham Community School and is providing up to 330 places for pupils.

The school will be led by head Paul Reilly who made a big impact when he gave an inspirational speech at the Annual Town Meeting earlier this year.

Paul has vowed that it will be one of the best schools in the county.
Next to the school is a brand new Children's Centre, which will give help and support to parents of early years children.

The school is equipped with the very latest energy saving and environmentally friendly features, which will reduce its running costs.

Cllr Keith Glazier, the County Council's Lead Member for Children's and Adults' Services, said: "Like any major building project this has not been without its difficulties and it has been a race against time to get the school ready to open at the start of the new school year.

"There will, of course, be a short period of time of bedding into the new buildings, but I am delighted pupils can start to use this wonderful new facility."

He added: "This is a bit of history for Rye and it is an extremely exciting project. The town has really needed this new school which will provide a much better learning environment.

"It's a state-of-the-art building, and together with the new Children's Centre, will be a superb 21st century resource for the community."

Paul Reilly said: "After so much planning, discussion and building it is wonderful that we're able to open this fantastic new building to its first set of pupils. It's great to be in such modern and new facilities and will give us the best surroundings in which to provide the young people of Rye with the best possible start to their education."

Work on the new school and Children's Centre buildings began in July 2007 shortly after planning permission was granted.

More than two years work had gone into the proposals and the local community and existing schools were consulted by the County Council at various stages.

The new primary school has been built by local construction company Morgan Ashurst. The firm's project manager James Roberts said: "We are delighted that pupils and staff can start enjoying their new school. We've thoroughly enjoyed working on this project as the school means so much to so many local people."

He added: "The school boasts a number of environmentally-friendly features designed to reduce the building's long-term running costs.
"These include a special energy usage monitor which will encourage children to use energy efficiently.

"Other features include a green roof, ground source heat pump, wind catchers, high levels of insulation, low energy light fittings and natural ventilation. This means all of Rye's pupils will be doing their bit to help reduce the town's carbon footprint."
An official opening of the new school will take place later in the year.