Devon School Confirmed for Government Rebuild Program

Confirmation has been received that a school in Devon has been designated for inclusion in a government rebuild programme, as verified by the Department for Education (DofE). Officials at Tiverton High School described this development as “fantastic”, referring to it as “long-awaited news”, given that a reconstruction was initially pledged in 1999. After evaluating the premises, the DofE determined that the institution was in need of “necessary investment”. The department stated that the work, which is part of the government’s schools rebuilding programme, is scheduled to begin no earlier than April 2025. Rachel Gilmour, the Liberal Democrat MP representing Tiverton and Minehead, stated that the school site was established on a floodplain over six decades ago. During that period, she noted, assessments by the Environment Agency consistently rated recurrent inundation of the school structures as a “risk to life”. Furthermore, the DofE took into account the existence of asbestos within multiple structures on the campus. Additionally, the facility’s original design capacity of 1,300 students proved insufficient to accommodate the current requirement for 1,800 pupils. Sammy Crook, the Executive Head of Tiverton High School, commented: “We have experienced difficulties with the tired building, which puts pressure on staff and students.“We are creative with the buildings we have but news that rebuilding work is confirmed is what our students, staff, and community has been waiting for.” She added: “I will make sure we continue to provide an education that inspires students and our staff.” Mrs. Gilmour stated that she had been “fighting hard to secure a place” for the institution among the 518 schools slated for renovation. She remarked: “The school has been in a dire state of repair for decades now and, undoubtedly, this has had a disastrous impact on the educational achievements in the school for an extended period.” She continued: “To teach and learn in a building in such a poor state of disrepair has been nothing short of traumatising for the head, her staff and pupils.” Mrs. Gilmour concluded: “To my mind, Sammy Crook and Jon Sowden are the true heroes in this result.” For updates, connect with BBC Devon on X, Facebook, and Instagram. Submit your news suggestions to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. © 2024 BBC. All rights are reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external links is available.