A MAJOR revamp of Pershore High School is underway after demolition work was kicked off by the town’s MP.
Harriett Baldwin, who showed her support and lobbied Schools Minister David Laws to back the £3.4million project, attended the Station Road site last Friday (July 25) to signal the start of the development.
The work will see the construction of a new art block and additional classrooms, which will allow students to move out of temporary buildings which have been in place for more than a decade.
Mrs Baldwin said: “I was very pleased to be asked to start the demolition work and celebrate this wonderful new era for Pershore High School.
“The old classrooms were well past their sell-by date and the new building work will give the school both much needed new classrooms but also scope to expand.
“Most importantly it means for the first time in many years, the temporary classrooms can be retired and classes can be held in proper, fit-for-purpose facilities.
“With a new housing development planned across from the school and several other house-builder projects underway in the school’s catchment area, it is good to see the school planning for the future.
“I was pleased to play some small part in the delivering of funding and I look forward to watching the project take shape over through next year.”
It is expected the building work will take place over the next two years, ensuring the town’s high school is geared up for the next generation of students.
The cash injection from the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund for 2014 to 2016 is set to breath a new lease of life into the school and left headteacher Clive Corbett overjoyed.
“This award offers a wonderful opportunity to further improve the school’s facilities, notably in the areas of Art and Design, Humanities and Modern Languages,” he said.
“The new buildings will allow students to learn in even more exciting and interesting ways. I must pay particular tribute to
Russell Dalton, our finance and business director, for putting so much hard work into writing the successful bid.
“I am also hugely grateful to Harriet Baldwin MP for her unstinting support for our project.”