THE first phase of a five-stage project that will eventually see the whole of Shipston High School redesigned and rebuilt got under way on Monday.

A £1.6 million contract to build a modern and high-tech teaching block is the culmination of two years of planning and will provide six new classrooms including two language and four maths blocks, a large resources area, office and toilets.

The first turf was cut by Year 7 pupils Oscar Hair and Hope-Sheree Stokes and Olivia Godfrey from Year 10 and this signalled the start of construction work which is being carried out by Trendgrey.

Headteacher Jonathan Baker said: It is an exciting moment for Shipston High School and we are hoping funding can be secured to eventually replace the whole of the school.

"This extension will be a huge improvement. We have a school that is designed for 388 pupils but have 469 on register and an increasing number of applications each year. When I started here there was an average of 70 applications for 90 places each term. Already for next year the school has received more than 150 applications for its 90 places," he said.

Mr Baker added that the school is currently on seven different levels with no lifts. The vision for the future is a site on two levels with lifts, a brand new sports facility with community use and room to educate around 700 pupils from the ages of 11 to 16 years.

Mr Baker added: "Today was a great day for Shipston as, after over two years of planning, we finally got to see work start on the new school. The new block has been designed to catapult the school into the 21st century. When completed, it will give a clear idea of what the finished school will look like. Shipston High School is a fantastic school for all sorts of reasons and it is really brilliant to see it facing the future with so much energy and confidence."

Also observing the ceremony was Shipston town mayor Councillor Philip Vial, school governors' chairman Paul Chapman as well as members of the school’s governing body and representatives of Trendgrey.

The development has been funded by Warwickshire County Council and is due to be completed in spring next year.