Hobson & Porter, Innovation based on tradition

A new centre for art and technology has opened at a town secondary school.

The £1.85m building replaces decades-old prefabricated huts at Beverley High School for Girls in Norwood. East Riding Council decided to provide the centre to replace the huts as they were outdated and expensive to run. Staff and pupils at the school, which has technology college status, are thrilled with the state-of-the-art facilities. Headteacher Ruth Vincent said: 'staff and students are delighted to be in the new building. The subjects were previously taught in decades-old temporary accommodation dating back to the 1970s and 1980s. The old huts had great teaching rooms, but they were ugly and had limited storage space.

The new centre has technology units on the ground floor, including facilities for product design and graphics work. Art rooms are accommodated on the first floor of the building, which also includes display space.

Mrs Vincent said: 'Everyone is thrilled with the new facilities. We are a technology college, so technology is one of our strongest subjects. We hope the state-of-the-art facilities will motivate students so much more in all age groups, but particularly at GCSE and A-level'.

Mrs Vincent said the 21st century facilities will enable the school to hold exhibitions of students art work. She said; 'There is quite a lot of display space so we can hold art exhibitions, which will hopefully inspire students.'

The latest development at the school follows the opening of a £1.75m sports hall, including a dance studio. The building work, which began last September, was carried out by contractors Hobson & Porter Ltd of Hull.

Article courtesy of the Hull Daily Mail