Sponsored by
Beeston school unveils new state of the art classrooms
A popular Beeston school aims to take learning to the next level after new unveiling state-of-the-art classrooms. Education reporter Ian Rosser reports.
* Click here to sign up to free news and sport email alerts from Beeston Today.
It wasn't that long ago that the pupils at Cockburn High School posted some of the worst exam results in the country.
* Click here for latest news in Beeston & Holbeck
In 2000, just nine per cent of them gained five or more good GCSE grades. Schools recording those sort of figures today would probably be closed.
* Click here to have your say on stories and issues in Beeston and Holbeck.
But big gains each year have seen the school, now Cockburn College of Arts, leap up the performance charts. Last year (2008), 58 per cent of pupils gained five or more GCSEs at C grade or above.
Although still below the national average, the results were among the best in the region for an inner-city comprehensive and it has increasingly become oversubscribed as the first-choice school for local parents.
* Click here to make Beeston Today your friend on Facebook.
And now Cockburn is set to be become more popular than ever after unveiling the first stage in a massive redevelopment of its Gipsy Lane site.
Built as part of a 250m overhaul of Leeds secondary schools housing 16,500 pupils, new facilities include a three-storey block containing a dining room, sports facilities, fitness studio and open arts spaces.
The 14-school project is being overseen by Education Leeds and funded by the Government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.
Cockburn head teacher David Gurney said: "Striving for the best – for its pupils, staff and the community – is one of the mainsprings of the school's existence.
"These impressive new facilities will enable Cockburn to continue to improve results, develop the skills of the next generation and fulfil its central role within the local community. "Our pupils are impressed with the modern school buildings they are now learning in and are already benefiting from using them."
The new resources were officially handed over during Cockburn's annual gala evening – a showcase of the artistic talent at the school, which changed its name last year to reflect its status as a specialist arts school.
The highlight of the gala evening was a production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
Chris Edwards chief executive of Education Leeds, said: "This brilliant performance by the students at Cockburn was an ideal way of officially handing over these state-of-the-art facilities.
"Combined with the dedication of the staff – which was recognised when the school was short listed for the Best School Team award at the first national BSF awards – these new facilities will ensure Cockburn goes from strength to strength."
Other facilities to be built at the school include new science labs, maths and languages rooms, and ICT and business suites, although as previously reported in the YEP, the scheme is up to 12 months behind schedule because of unforeseen issues matching the new build with a 1990s teaching block that is being retained. The entire project is now due for completion in December.
Coun Richard Harker, executive board member for learning at Leeds City Council, said: "We are committed to providing our students with the best learning environments possible and these new facilities at Cockburn are a brilliant example of what BSF is achieving in Leeds.
"This is a 21st century building designed to develop learning, skills and experiences and is helping to ensure that every young person at the school can achieve their potential and be happy, healthy, safe and successful."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Friday 18 May 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 7 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North
