The first school to be built under Liverpool’s £169 million Building Schools for the Future (BSF “rescue package” has opened its doors this week.
Notre Dame Catholic College opened its £15 million building in Everton on Monday (September 16).
A total of 12 schools are to be rebuilt across the city as part of a £135 million project, with another £34 million being allocated for other schools in need of investment.
The rescue package was put together after Liverpool was particularly badly hit by the cuts to the BSF programme in 2010 and the scrapping of the planned ”Wave 6” schools in the city.
The £169 million has been raised via a combination of government funding and money from the city council.
Notre Dame, which is opening on time and to budget, will educate up to 1,000 pupils and employs 120 staff. It has been built in just over 12 months.
Major Anderson said: “Our young people deserve the very best facilities, and this school showcases some of the latest technology to make sure pupils get the most out of their learning.
“This is the first of at least a dozen substantial investments in education in Liverpool which will transform the experience for tens of thousands of present and future school pupils.”
Headteacher Frances Harrison added: “It is such an improvement over the previous building and will make a massive difference to the education we provide to our pupils.”
Notre Dame is also home to Resonate, the city’s Music Support Service, which teaches 8,000 pupils from across the city how to play an instrument.
Other secondaries to benefit from the investment include Archbishop Beck Sports College (opens 2014), St John Bosco Arts College (opens 2014), Archbishop Blanch High, Holly Lodge Girls’, St Hilda’s High, St Francis Xavier’s, St Julie’s High, Bank View High, Aigburth High, and Redbridge High.
CAPTION: Welcome: Mayor Joe Anderson and Notre Dame headteacher Frances Harrison take a tour of the new £15 million school