Plans unveiled for new look Belvoir High School

Published by Sonia Bennett for Leicestershire County Council in Local Government and also in Education

Exciting plans for the extension and refurbishment of Belvoir High School in Bottesford are to be unveiled.

Parents, pupils and local residents are invited to the school to see, and give their comments on, the new plans on Tuesday, January 16th from 4pm-6pm.

Representatives from the school, Leicestershire County Council and Willmott Dixon Construction will be available to answer any questions.

The £5.9 million scheme will see the refurbishment of the existing school building together with a brand new extension.

Belvoir High School is one of the partner schools in the pioneering reorganisation of education in Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir.

This aims to raise standards of education and achievement for pupils and students, whilst maintaining current school excellence.

As part of the programme, Belvoir High will be changing its age range from 10-14 to 11-16 and will accommodate up to 600 pupils.

The school’s exciting new extension will include a range of state-of-the-art science laboratories and general classrooms, as well as a new library.

These will be based around a striking central atrium, to be used for teaching and as a social area.

A further exciting development is the inclusion of a new virtual learning hub, providing hi-tech ICT equipment.

The school refurbishment will see a revamped dining area, art and music suites and staff room.

Leicestershire County Council has worked very closely with the school, its staff, pupils and governors in creating the design. This relationship will carry on as work on the design and building process continues.

The building work, to be undertaken by Willmott Dixon construction, is planned to start in July, 2008 with the new extension open for teaching in September, 2009.

Jon Sherwin, headteacher at Belvoir High School, said: “These are terrifically exciting times for everyone involved with the school.

The redevelopment will see an even better teaching and learning environment provided.”

Ivan Ould, Leicestershire County Council’s Cabinet Lead Member for Children and Young People’s services, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for parents and local people to look at the plans for the school’s redevelopment and contribute to the design process.”