MATHS maestro Carol Vorderman opened Catteral Hall's new teaching block and toured the £850,000 building with TV colleague Richard Whiteley.

The TV star officially opened the Partridge Centre at Giggleswick School's junior department on Monday, inviting pupils to join in with the Countdown theme tune as the ribbon was cut.

Countdown presenter Richard Whiteley, a former Giggleswick School pupil and a governor for 20-years, put himself behind the camera for a change, capturing the official opening on video.

He told the Herald: "Giggleswick School is my hobby. I told Carol I would show her where it all started. Giggleswick is my alma mater - it's where I get my great wisdom from!"

The new teaching block, which replaces two pre-fabricated classrooms, was the vision of former headmaster Ken Green who was at the school from 1964 to 1983.

He was one of four past headteachers, John Caithness, John Streule and Martin Morris to revisit the school for the opening.

Mr Green said: "It's just unbelievable. It is my dream realised. I always wanted to get rid of the pre-fabricated classrooms but it took 20 years. It's just absolutely breathtaking."

Educated at a comprehensive school, Miss Vorderman went on to study engineering at Cambridge.

She has written numerous books on how to help children develop their maths skills but says the greatest advantage a child can have is a good teacher.

"You need a good teacher and consistent practice. There are those who are just lucky and can do it, but the majority are not like that. I was one of the lucky ones," she said.

"Almost half of children are not taught by a maths specialist, someone with a maths degree or training to be a maths teacher, and that's important."

Miss Vorderman said she would like to see all schools benefiting from the same facilities that private schools, such as Catteral Hall, have.

"I can't see why the Government is spending three and a quarter billion pounds going to war when that money could be poured into education," she added.

"One of my greatest fears is that the introduction of tuition fees will change, sadly, the number of kids who can go on to university.

"I despair at what the Government is doing. I couldn't have gone. When I went to university tuition fees were paid and I had a maintenance grant. Without it I just couldn't have done it.

"It is such short-term thinking. Going to university changed my life. I earn a lot of money which means I can look after my mum. I am not a burden on the State."

Touring the new teaching block, Miss Vorderman autographed pupils' work and talked to youngsters working on maths puzzles and IT.

The Partridge Centre, named after former head E H Partridge who secured the purchase of the Catteral Hall site, provides seven new classrooms, two interactive whiteboards, a computer suite, and new library complete with a picture window which looks to the hills. The entrance to the library also features a stained glass window designed by pupils and created by parent and artist Linda Mellin, of Hellifield.

Miss Vorderman said she and Richard Whiteley were great friends and that she loved the area around Giggleswick.

Catteral Hall's 180 pupils released an array of helium balloons in the school colours of red and black to mark the official opening.