STAFF, pupils and governors at Ilkley Grammar School are getting excited about the prospect of building work being completed in the next few months.

Massive steel girders towering up from the ground are obvious signs of progress at the Cowpasture Road site where a new three-storey teaching block will allow the 1,500 pupil school to be concentrated on one site from September. To complete the work there is a 35-metre high crane on site, and contractors have taken delivery of 265 tonnes of steelwork.

"These are exciting times," said head teacher Gillian James: "This is a marvellous opportunity to provide first-class facilities for all our students."

The building programme also incorporates 95 car parking spaces, new tennis courts, netball areas, landscaping, and the removal of all but one of the temporary classrooms. A dedicated Science area will remain.

Mrs James said: "There are challenges ahead. We face a three-pronged attack in the run-up to the summer holiday: we have to move off the Valley Road site, move into the new building and move curriculum areas within the current building.

"The school has already agreed closure days to allow these moves to take place. Ilkley Grammar School will now close early for the summer holiday, on Friday, July 18.

All students will not return until Friday, September 12, with only years Seven and 12 in on September 11.

The weather remains the one imponderable, but the school says it is doing everything it can in partnership with Education Bradford and building contractors, Bovis, to keep things on track, despite a tight time schedule.

Mrs James, added: "We want the very best for our students and expect a quality learning environment. We look forward to watching the new building take shape over the coming weeks."