THERE were scenes of celebration at the Cotswold School in Bourton with the official opening of its new 10-classroom maths block.

In a special ceremony on Friday, Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown and the first chairman of governors,Lady MavisDunrossil, performed the ribbon-cutting in front of students, governors and staff as part of the school's 25th anniversary celebrations.

The new maths block is part of the most ambitious multiprogramme building project since the school was established on the grounds of Bourton Vale Secondary Modern in 1988.

It includes a new geography block which was finished in April and the next two phases, a new sixth form block and a further two classrooms, which will be built once funding is secured.

Speaking at last week's ceremony, headteacher Will Morgan said: "We are a school that is proud of its past but always looks forward to improving and growing facilities.

"Our success is sustainable because of our traditional core curriculum, sustainable because of the investment that school leaders, staff and generations of governors all have brought in and committed to building a school that 25 years ago was designed to accommodate less than 400 students.

"The opening of this maths block is symbolic of this 25 year journey. A department where results have grown and grown. Last year, the first full year within their new building saw 89 per cent of students achieved A* to C with 39 per cent achieving A* or A.

"This reflects everything I've referred to, great facilities, great leadership and a wonderful team of teacher who don't just teach mathematics but take responsibility for continually improving the department in which they work."

Mr Clifton-Brown said it was a huge privilege to be at the ceremony.

"It's a huge pleasure to be here," he said. "You've had three outstanding Ofsted reports. That's huge achievement. To everybody who's been involved many congratulations I think this is a wonderful school."

Lady Dunrossil added: "What a wonderful joy it is for me to see the progress the school has made. It's entirely down to the staff and with some help from the governors and students.

"I think this is a great day. I know the Cotswold School will go from strength to strength."