building work, with an estimated budget of £68,400, began in 1965 on the site of royston's former militia camp. the school was initially intended to open in april 1966 as a junior school for 320 children but following hertfordshire county council’s decision to introduce a three-tier system of first, middle and upper schools it was resolved that only infant school age pupils would be admitted when it opened. the school opened at the start of the summer term of 1966 with 129 pupils, and was the first in hertfordshire for the five- to nine-year-old age group. a playgroup opened at the school in early 1967.