A new, £2m centre has allowed a school in North Yorkshire to expand and improve its facilities for sixth formers.
King James’s School in Knaresborough is celebrating the first anniversary of the opening of a new sixth form building, which has also made the return to school under covid conditions last month much easier.
The project involved demolishing the old sixth form building and the removal of two temporary classrooms, which had reached the end of their life. In their place, a designated sixth form space was created with study areas, seminar rooms, a common room with catering and offices for careers and pastoral teams.
New pull-in bays at the front of the school have improved access for school buses. Overall, the new additions have proved more adaptable and provided additional space, which has been crucial as the school put in place its measures to limit the spread of covid.
The £2m building was funded by North Yorkshire County Council. It was designed by Align Property Partners and constructed by Simpson (York) Limited.
Assistant Headteacher and Director of the sixth form, John O’Hara, said:
Now that we have had the new sixth form building open for a year it seems incredible that we managed without it for so long. It has significantly enhanced the facilities available to students and has allowed our sixth for to grow, as well as supporting our sixth form partnership with Boroughbridge High School.
The improved social area and study facilities really gives students the opportunity to work in a productive environment in between their lessons.
We are incredibly grateful to North Yorkshire County Council for their capital investment and also to the George Moore Foundation for a very generous donation for internal furnishings.
County Councillor Patrick Mulligan, Executive Member for Education and Skills said:
This project will provide real, educational benefits to students at King James’s School, as well as sixth formers at Boroughbridge High School, where the school has a sixth form partnership.
The centre enables sixth formers to develop independent study skills and access tailored advice, as well as high-quality teaching in the new, interactive classrooms.
