From David Hutchings, Exeter 382594, February 26, 2008

BUILDING WORK is beginning on Bideford's ambitious new £46 million secondary school.

And to mark the occasion there will be a special turf-cutting ceremony at the college on Monday (Mar 3) at 11.30am.

The vice chairman of Devon County Council, Chris Haywood, will join students and staff to perform the official ceremony.

The development will re-shape education in Bideford for the 21^st century when it becomes fully occupied for the autumn term 2010.

The college is the first Devon County Council school to benefit from the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme to upgrade all secondary schools.

The futuristic and innovative scheme will be built on the existing site while the college continues to operate alongside.

Most of the old buildings will then be demolished with the majority of the rubble providing the base for the provision of new sports facilities and car parking.

College Principal, Veronica Matthews, said: "These are very exciting times for the college and Bideford as a whole.

" What has been planned for Bideford will put us at the forefront nationally, not only of education but of sustainable building design.

"The town needs a key focus - both for its social and economic regeneration and to raise the aspirations of its young people.

"This will be a building in which the college is truly able to fulfil its vision. It will be:

        A place where students can work and learn, to grow and gain, to maximise their potential, regardless of their needs, abilities or interests

        A place where young people and adults take responsibility for others as well as for themselves

        A place where all can feel a sense of belonging and contributing, of fulfilment and enjoyment

        A place where 1,800 young people between the ages of 11 and 18 can feel cared for, valued and secure regardless of their experiences outside of school

        A place that inspires these students to have a sense of pride in themselves, their college, their community and their country.

All the new teaching spaces will be naturally lit and well ventilated in north-facing buildings which have been selected as a national demonstrator for sustainability

The Centre for Energy and Environment at the University of Exeter has worked on the plans to identify the best position for the buildings to make use of natural light and heat.

Sustainability will not only be demonstrated by using environmentally friendly technology. It will also involve community engagement through the use of the college as a teaching and learning tool and a focus for the whole of the community.

The college will have a woodchip biomass boiler as the main heat source with small scale micro wind generation delivering electrical energy to a hi-tech science demonstration area.

A sustainable drainage system will allow the college to capture and recycle a large percentage of rainwater into high use areas such as toilets.

A grant from the Bridge Trust will enable the development of a large main hall - with stage and screen - capable of seating around 350 people.

Next to this there will be a six-court sports hall, fitness suite and gymnasium. The external sports facilities will include a full size, floodlit artificial pitch and netball and tennis courts. And the college will be making the facilities available for community use.

The college has also been awarded national demonstration status for science and will be required to demonstrate ways in which science can be delivered in exciting and innovative ways to increase the take-up of GCSE and A level science subjects.

The synergy of science and sustainability will be displayed in a hi-tech science theatre. Internet technology will enable the college to expand the current links with its 13 feeder schools to help boost teaching and learning.

A third part of the science specialisation will be the creation of an earth/science building which will be commissioned towards the end of the project.

This is set to be built by college students, enabling them to demonstrate a number of environmentally and ecologically friendly building techniques.

These will include recycling timber and roofing materials, straw bale, rammed earth and cob wall construction with the heat, energy and electricity being delivered from renewable sources.

Bideford East county councillor Hugo Barton said: "It is wonderful to have reached another milestone in the progress towards our new college.

"It will not only have a significant impact on the educational facilities we are able to offer our young people but on the economic regeneration of the whole area."

Bideford South county councillor Humphrey Temperley said: "The

college really needs these new buildings to enable the staff to raise

standards of achievement even higher.

"This will be a huge fillip for Bideford and the economic regeneration

of the town."

NOTE TO NEWS EDS: Mike Newby, the New College Co-ordinator, is

available on 01237 428136, Councillor Barton is available on 01805  

624768 and Councillor Temperley on 01237 420553 or 07966

411654.