The final school to be rebuilt under Bradford Council’s Building Schools for the Future programme has opened its doors.

Hanson School, Swain House, has had a £35 million investment, and deputy head teacher Jez Stockhill said he expects the changes to transform pupils’ attainment.

Ofsted, the education watchdog, is monitoring the school and has praised the efforts to improve standards following a critical inspection report last year which put the school in the Special Measures category.

The new Hanson buildings are about 60 per cent complete. The completed sections are the rebuilt elements of the project. The other 40 per cent will be refurbished buildings, due to reopen to pupils in 2012.

Spread over four levels, the new building contains classrooms, social areas, a restaurant-style eating area, rows of lockers, art rooms, a resource centre, a sixth form centre, offices, computer suites and a lecture theatre. The result is a modern, open plan and brightly-lit space in white and red, all inter-linked and opening out on to an atrium.

The atrium’s outer-shell has a striking appearance with red, orange and yellow cladding, A multi-use games area is the size of several football pitches.

Mr Stockhill said: The reaction of most people is one of awe, particularly from young people. The old building had very narrow corridors and lots of corners. This building has a huge amount of space and young people feel more comfortable.”

The school now has 2,000 computers, interactive whiteboards and a ‘rapid response’ system that allows children to vote on answers to teachers’ questions on big screens remotely. Mr Stockhill said the design was intended to inspire young people to look to the future and address a poverty of aspirations.

Hanson will become an academy in September. It will be sponsored by the School Partnership Trust which has a network of about 20 schools, including the Ofsted-rated outstanding Garforth Community College.