WHEN a new school for Worcester is built it will mark the end of years of relentless criticism aimed at a city establishment.

Although nothing is yet set in stone, the first steps towards a new Christopher Whitehead High School have already been taken.

Worcestershire County Council's Planning and Regulatory Committee voted unanimously last week to approve outline plans for the school, which would create a state-of-the-art centre for learning.

Some people are against the plans because it will take the school out of the heart of St John's and onto the outskirts of the city.

Others are also against it because the current site will be occupied by a supermarket.

Leaving those reasons aside, the plans mark a transition for the school; one that cannot be ignored.

When the school was inspected by Ofsted in 2001, the accommodation was criticised for hampering the pupils' progress in certain areas of the curriculum.

"It is for the teaching of art, dance and music that the major problems exist. The poor accommodation for art and design shows little improvement since the last inspection. There is a lack of space and an unsatisfactory layout, which all contribute to a poor ethos for the teaching of art.

Lack of space causes there to be similar problems for the teaching of music. The acoustics of the room used for dance are poor.

Internal and external facilities for physical education are satisfactory but the time wasted to get to and from the games field is still a problem."

So what would a new school mean for Worcester?

It would firstly help with the growing need for school places in the city.

The new school would be built for 1,350 pupils, 200 more than the current school can cater for.

It would also be a purpose-built co-educational school with facilities on site for sport.

The present school on Bromwich Road is an amalgamation of a boys' and girls' school.

Buildings are spread out with some departments split. Sports fields are across the busy Bromwich Road and often out of use due to flooding.

"The planning has been special to date because we've been given the opportunity to take a step back and look at the concept of what the ideal school will be," said headteacher Allan Foulds.

Excited

"It's given me the opportunity to think with a completely clean slate, imaginatively and practically.

"Schools are surprising places and children are surprising. When I see the level of achievement set against the backdrop of the buildings I find myself getting really excited about the possibility of what young people can achieve through a school designed to nurture their achievement. The sky's the limit."

The different areas of curriculum will have their own areas in school, with all the languages grouped together and all arts teamed up.

The school is being designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible and maintain its historical features.

"We'll have a sustainable drainage system," said Iain Paul, design and estates unit manager at Worcestershire County Council.

"It won't put further pressure on the main sewers. The water will be kept on site.

"The school will have a reinforced concrete frame, which is very rare for a school. We're going to use the building as a method of storing heat.

"If we can keep the air fresh without wasting energy, it provides a much healthier teaching environment."

He says the building of a new school will protect the current cherry orchard and Anglo-Saxon features.

"We're going to regrow the cherry orchard as it is a feature of Worcestershire that's fast disappearing," said Mr Paul.

"Pupils will be able to experience what the landscape used to look like.

"There are Anglo-Saxon features that are being destroyed by neglect at the moment. What will happen is that it will be a protected feature. We're also protecting the pollarded oak trees.

"One of the reasons ancient trees die is that we like to walk around them. The ground gets firmer and the root network dies."

They will be closed off to pupils and access controlled to prevent future damage.

There is a lot of excitement about a new school, but Mr Foulds says this does not mean their current home will be ignored.

"We will continue to invest in the fabric of this school," he said.

"That's very important. We need a degree of thought and care because pride in your surroundings affects the way you feel on a day to day basis.

"I want staff and pupils to feel they care about this building until the last person leaves it."