Type=image;ImageID=8175;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=School Headteacher Dean Coombes and Claire Darke;TitleClass=strong;
Type=image;ImageID=8176;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=The new look St Matthias School;TitleClass=strong;
Type=image;ImageID=8177;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=The new look St Matthias School;TitleClass=strong;
Type=image;ImageID=8174;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=Contrast between the old and new;TitleClass=strong;
Councillor Claire Darke, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Education, toured the new St Matthias School, on Deans Road, recently and saw for herself the stunning new facilities being enjoyed by pupils and teachers.
The work at St Matthias School, formerly known as Deansfield Community School, has seen the creation of a 3 storey school offering flexible teaching spaces which can be adapted to suit a variety of teaching styles.
It also has a fully equipped food technology room, several dining spaces and new sports facilities with a variety of full sized courts.
Its completion marks another significant milestone in the council's £270 million Building Schools for the Future programme, which over the last 5 years has transformed secondary education facilities across the city, giving students high tech environments to "engage and inspire young people, their families and the wider community".
Councillor Darke said: "These are fantastic facilities which will help further improve teaching and learning standards at St Matthias, and I am pleased the pupils and teachers are enjoying their new look surroundings.
"The contrast between the old school building and the new one is incredible, and shows what a difference the Building Schools for the Future programme has made to secondary education in Wolverhampton."
Headteacher Dean Coombes said: "I'm thrilled to be in the new building, as are all of our pupils. The new facilities will maximise learning opportunities for our students as we do things in a different, more up to date way.
"With the new building has come a new sense of confidence for both staff and pupils and this has also been reflected in the opinions of parents. We recently held an open evening and the feedback was unanimously very positive."
St Matthias was one of 2 new schools built during the final phase of the BSF programme. Work also finished this summer on Heath Park School's new 3 storey building, which boasts a stunning lecture theatre, state of the art Learning Resource Centre, art rooms, science labs and media suite with ICT being integral throughout the school.
External works have now begun at both sites to demolish the old school buildings. Over the coming months, students will be able to see the sites cleared and new outside spaces created, along with a new sports hall at Heath Park. This work is scheduled to be completed by September 2016.
Councillor Darke said: "The Building Schools for the Future programme has been a great success in Wolverhampton. It has seen all 25 of our secondary education providers either rebuilt or modernised, and helped to make our city a better place in which to live and learn."
- released: Friday 23 October, 2015