A Bingley school has been awarded a massive £3.5 million to build new classrooms, a learning centre, library and hall.

Bingley Grammar School has been given the cash by the Department of Education and Employment to cope with expanding numbers under the district's schools' reorganisation.

Jim Britton, chairman of governors at the school in Keighley Road, said it would be a huge boost.

"We are extremely pleased about this," he added.

"It's a major development for the school and means we will be able to provide state-of-the-art facilities for our pupils."

The cash is earmarked for new classrooms and a new hall with a seating capacity of more than 450.

There will be a state-of-the-art learning centre, which will become the hub of the school's computer network.

A new library will be built with a gallery on a mezzanine floor, providing a large area for private sixth form study.

Head teacher John Patterson said good school practice had been 'designed into' the new structures.

"We have been especially keen to design buildings that will strengthen the ethos of the school by promoting a friendly, disciplined and secure environment."

Bingley Grammar is a heavily oversubscribed school whose pupils scored impressive GCSE results this year. The school ranked sixth in the local secondary school league table.

From next September it will have to cater for 500 extra pupils.

It is a former grant-maintained school - a status now abolished - by which schools were funded through a Government agency rather than through the local education authority.

The £3.5 million to pay for changes does not strictly come from the reorganisation fund, because of Bingley Grammar's former status, but directly from the Government after the school put in a successful bid.

Mr Britton said work would begin in January and it was hoped it would be completed in time for the new term starting in September.

"Obviously there will be a lot of building work going on, but we will try to keep disruption to a minimum."

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