Some dreams have come true for the principal of a Watford primary school after it received a large donation from an apprenticeship business.

Skillnet, one of the UK’s largest suppliers of apprenticeship training to the automotive industry, has donated £10,000 to Ascot Road Community Free School.

The school, which opened in 2014, is preparing for its first Year 6 classes and the money will be used to restock the library and also create an outdoor reading shed for Key Stage 1 pupils. All classroom libraries will also get new books relevant to each age group which will both inspire and reflect the school’s diverse community.

School principal Cathy Elsey admitted she was “astounded” by the offer of support and said: “Every school principal has a wish-list of things that they would like to do if only the funds were available, so this generous donation has genuinely made some of my wishes come true.

“I can’t wait for the children to return in September and start exploring the new learning opportunities these amazing resources will bring.”

The school is close to Skillnet’s head office and as well as its proximity, it chose to support Ascot Road because of its inclusive approach and how encouraging pupils to be confident about their ambitions matched the company’s outlook and for the apprentices it works with.

The funding comes at a difficult time for school and the company views it as an investment in the future.

Managing director Eugene Lowry said: “This has been a difficult year for everyone, but that’s all the more reason to try to find ways to invest in the future, and supporting our local primary school is an excellent way to do that.

“Every year we recruit over a thousand of the brightest and best young people to join the car and truck industry, and for the vast majority of these applicants, you can trace their success back to their time at primary school. That’s why it’s really important for all businesses to support the education that takes place in their local communities.”