Plans for new Gordano Sixth Form Centre go in

AN ambitious scheme to expand sixth form facilities at a thriving Portishead school hasbeen submitted to planners.

Bosses at Gordano School want to build a new two storey block on its campus to cope with a growing number of students going on to study in the sixth form.

The project has been funded by a £2 million grant by the Young People's Learning Agency.

The money will be used to provide a brand new, two storey sixth form building next to the existing sixth form block.

On the ground floor of the new building there will be a new lecture theatre with seating for 200 people.

The floor of the new theatre will be sprung so it can be used by local dance groups.

The lecture theatre will also be available to the community in the evenings and be used for exams.

The ground floor will also feature a university style sixth form study area with floor to ceiling glass windows.

All of the desks will be fitted with sockets making it easier for students to use computers and laptops.

On the first floor there will be four large teaching spaces plus a meeting room.

Currently the sixth form has 405 students, but this is expected to grow over the coming years.

The school was told it needed to provide extra space for up to 100 additional sixth form students and the development will allow the sixth form to accommodate up to around 480 students.

The YPLA is being abolished at the end of next March and had £30million of funding available to sixth forms which needed to expand.

Portishead - now the second biggest town in North Somerset - was one of only two areas to qualify for the funding outside of London.

The school, which became an academy on July 1, was notified the cash was up for grabs at the end of June and told that bids had to be in by July 8.

School bosses and North Somerset Council worked around the clock to prepare the bid and were told this week their application had been successful.

A planning application has now been submitted to North Somerset Council and if approved work will start on site in the autumn and the new centre will be open by summer 2012.

Gordano School headteacher, Gary Lewis, said he was delighted with the design of the new building.

Mr Lewis said: "We have taken our time with the architects to ensure that this is a high quality building which will enhance the school environment

"We have shared our plans with Portishead Town Council chairman, Arthur Terry who is supportive of the scheme and the school's plans to provide a better learning environment for students.

"We have also had a meeting with our neighbours to make sure they saw the plans at the earliest stage possible.

"At a time when our sixth form numbers are increasing it is fantastic that we are able to provide them with much better learning space."

Currently sixth formers needing private study space are forced to use the common room and the library.

A corridoor within the sixth form block has also been converted so students can use it to study.

As part of the improvements the school is earmarking £200,000 to improve and refurbish the current sixth form block.