Cash to save kids from 'chicken hut' classrooms

MULTI-million pound facelifts are lined up for some of the worst school buildings in the East Riding.

Six secondaries – including Hornsea School, where pupils described mobile classrooms as "chicken huts" – are set for upgrades.

It comes after a special panel of councillors reported £445m in repairs was needed to bring all of the area's schools into the 21st century.

Councillor Brian Jefferies, who chaired East Riding Council's school buildings review panel, said: "I am delighted some improvements are being carried out but it is just scratching the surface.

"We still need serious investment from the Government to improve all our outdated school buildings."

The East Riding was short-changed when the national Building Schools for the Future programme was halted.

Some £400m was allocated for new schools in Hull but the East Riding missed out.

Now, East Riding Council is tackling repairs at some of its most outdated schools.

More than £1m has been earmarked for work at Hornsea School and £2m-plus is to be allocated for improvements at Beverley's Longcroft School.

The authority has also made successful bids for Withernsea High School and Wolfreton School to be included in the Government's Priority School Building Programme (PSBP).

Two academies – Goole High School and Hessle High School – are also in line for funding from the PSPB.

Some £2.1m will be spent on re-roofing and replacing old windows at Longcroft's upper school.

In the longer term, it is proposed to sell off Longcroft's lower school site for development and use the proceeds to consolidate at the upper school.

Headteacher Ian O'Donnell has welcomed the investment to improve the buildings.

He said: "The repairs to the roof and the replacement windows will make a big difference to day-to-day life at the upper school site."

At Hornsea School, £1.1m will be spent on re-roofing as well as replacing windows, doors and cladding.

A dilapidated "temporary" science laboratory will also be replaced.

Headteacher Steve Lawrence said: "We are delighted to hear a sum of money has been allocated by the local authority to address some of the building needs at our school.

"We look forward to working with the authority and contractor to commence the improvement works as soon as possible."

The council is expecting news this autumn from the Education Funding Agency on timescales for improving Withernsea and Wolfreton schools.

Councillor Julie Abraham, East Riding portfolio holder for children, young people and education, said: "It is excellent that major investment is being made in these schools, at a time when every penny in our budgets is being scrutinised.

"The works proposed will enable the schools to run more efficiently and thereby reduce their revenue spending, as well as providing a much better environment in which pupils can learn."

Two academies, which are outside of council control, are in line for major work.

Multi-million pound plans to transform Goole High School will go ahead this summer after the Government agreed to fund it.

Work will include a three-storey complex to create a studio school, an academy school suite and a creative arts suite.

Hessle High School has had £850,000 in improvements, funded by the academies capital programme.

The academy is now awaiting news of an expected start on a new school later this year.