Case Study 1: Rebuilding 'brought a new lease of life'

FOR one Yorkshire headteacher BSF has not only given her school a new building but also a new lease of life.

Tong High School was one of the first in the region to be completely rebuilt under the Government's capital programme.

Staff and pupils moved into a new building on the same site as their old school on the edge of Bradford two years ago.

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Headteacher Lyn O'Reilly told the Yorkshire Post the new build helped to transform standards, behaviour and the school's ability to attract pupils.

"The learning environment has been much better than the old school. The classrooms are fresh and fit for purpose and we have seen a massive impact on teaching and learning and on our outcomes. We have doubled the number of pupils achieving five A* to C grades at GCSE, including English and maths, in our first year at the school.

"This year it is set to rise to 40 per cent almost treble what it was before we moved into the new building."

Mrs O'Reilly said the new build had also boosted recruitment.

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"Teachers like to work in a new building and we have seen an increase in applications," she added. "I retire this year and normally for a school in Bradford you would expect to receive seven or eight applications for a job like this but we had more than 20."

Sport facilities have also been opened up for community use and are of such a high standard that they are now being used by Bradford Bulls players.

Tong High was part of the first phase of Bradford Council's BSF project along with new school buildings at Buttershaw High and Salt Grammar school in Baildon. The council has also had BSF funding for a second wave of projects approved.