PRUDHOE Community High School unveiled its brand new building to its pupils as they returned to school this week.

Work on the new school began last year after it was announced that Prudhoe Community High School was one 261 schools across the country that would be rebuilt through the Priority School Building ProgramME.

Headteacher Deborah Reeman said: “We have watched the new school grow before our eyes since the work started and we are all so excited to finally be in the new building.

“I think the most amazing thing about this is how everyone has pulled together to make it happen.

“Teachers have given up their own time in the holidays to help unpack and we have worked really closely with Sir Robert McAlpine to make it run as smoothly as possible. It really has been a huge team effort and it shows how Prudhoe is an amazing community to be in.

“All the hard work has allowed us to have this smart, pristine new school that we are so happy with.”

The £12.5m state of the art school received funding from the Education Funding Agency following a successful bid from Northumberland County Council. Sport England awarded the development a further £272,000 which allowed the sports hall to be made bigger.

As well as the sports hall, the new school boasts a dance studio, theatre space and main hall.

Those who picked up A-level and GCSE results in the past few weeks did so in their new building and managed to be the first to get a peek.

Mrs Reeman added: “The students were really excited to be picking up their results in the new building.

“They all wanted to have a look round and see what it was like as they had watched from afar as it was built.

“This year we had our best GCSE results ever and that really shows how hard our students and staff work.”

The new purpose-built school building is sited on the football pitches of the old school.

Now work to knock down the old building and put new football pitches in its place will begin, which Mrs Reeman said was estimated to take 12 to 18 months.

Prudhoe Communtiy High School held a farewell night to say goodbye to their old school building on July 13. This involved an exhibition of old photographs and other memorabilia on display in the main hall, as well as guided tours of the school.

Mrs Reeman said: “The night was really well attended with hundreds of people turning up.

“It was sad to say goodbye to old memories.

“But I believe we are bringing the things that matter most with us to the new school.”

“That is our school ethos of hard work and helping every child achieve their absolute best.”