Pupils help to build bright future for blaze-hit school

Teams of students from Campsmount Technology College, in Doncaster, took part in a competition to build a practice wall for the chance actually to help construct their new school.

They battled it out to be the best bricklayers after a master class in assembling a cavity wall with Wates Construction, the contractor behind the project and C & I Smith, who are responsible for the brickwork at Campsmount.

Campsmount headteacher Andrew Sprakes said: “We are thrilled at the progress being made on the construction at our school and it is heart warming to see our young people so engaged in the construction process and putting their stamp on the new building.”

Doncaster Mayor Peter Davies said: “The progress at Campsmount is quite remarkable as the building is really starting to take shape.

“It is wonderful news that the school children are being involved in the project and learning new skills that will help them in the future.”

Students will move into the new building in April next year more than two years after the school was destroyed by a blaze in December 2009.

The rebuilding of the school has had a high profile after it initially missed out on Building Schools for the Future (BSF) funding when the scheme was controversially axed by Education Secretary Michael Gove.

However it is now being rebuilt as a pilot project as part of an independent review into school building projects carried out by company director Sebastian James, for the Government.

His review has criticised Labour’s BSF scheme for being too bureaucratic and wasteful of public money. It highlighted the way Campsmount is now being redeveloped as an example of how cost savings can be made.

Under BSF plans the school would have been redeveloped at a cost of about £18m, according to Mr James’ review. Now it is going ahead as an £11m project.