Wokingham

The new information, communication and technology (ICT) block at Waingels College in Woodley opened its doors to students in September. And to celebrate, executive principal Richard Green and the Rt Hon Theresa May MP will join students at a special ceremony being held on Friday November 3 to mark the occasion.

Proposals to expand Waingels College in Woodley to provide education facilities for the 21st century were approved by Wokingham District Council’s decision-making executive in September 2005.

The college already had plans in place to build a one-storey building and Wokingham district council agreed additional funding of £600,000 to allow the building to have a second floor which would meet current and future accommodation needs of the college. Some £50,000 was also allocated by Wokingham council towards the cost of fitting out the rooms. The remainder of the project was funded through grants the college received when they were awarded specialist status in maths and computing in September 2004 and own-delegated reserves.

The college was originally built in the 1970s and accommodated 750 pupils. Now in 2006, the college currently has around 1,650 students on its roll. This new block enhances the college’s specialist status and provides pupils with ICT workshops and additional classrooms. Students were able to watch at first hand the construction of the state-of-the art ICT block thanks to a web-cam that was installed by builders CTS Ltd.

Further building work could also start at Waingels College next year if Wokingham district council is successful for bidding for national grant funding. Back in July, Wokingham district council was advised by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) that it could put forward a submission to take up available funding to rebuild or refurbish one of Wokingham district’s nine secondary schools under the Building Schools for the Future programme. And, last month (September) the council’s decision-making executive agreed Waingels College would be its preferred choice school for submission.

If the bid is successful, the new ICT block would remain but the majority of the other buildings at the college would be demolished and replaced with a new school estimated at £29m. Wokingham council will be submitting a detailed report to the DfES in November, with the decision expected from them in January 2007.

Executive principal Richard Green said: “We are delighted with the quality of the new building and the additional educational facilities it provides for all our students. We hope that this new building is the precursor of an exciting development which will see Waingels transformed over the next few years into a centre for 21st century learning for the whole community of Woodley.

“The governors agreed with me that the building should be named after Andrew Weeks, in recognition of his outstanding period of service to Waingels as deputy headteacher. He has had particular responsibility for the development and quality of the college accommodation.”

Rt Hon Theresa May MP said: "I am delighted that pupils at Waingel's College will benefit from this new ICT block. This is a popular school and the new block will make a key difference to teaching and learning. It is a good example of the council and school working together to improve educational facilities for pupils. I also welcome the council's decision to put Waingel's College forward as a pathfinder school for re-building, which would ensure the school buildings were suitable for the 21st century."

Cllr Frank Browne, executive member for Wokingham children’s services, said: “This new ICT block will make a real difference to the pupils at the college and bring real educational benefits to them. The council has also been invited to bid for government money to improve one of our schools as a pathfinder, which is great news and if successful Waingels College will be fast tracked under Building Schools for the Future programme. The council remains fully committed to ensuring all our schools are fit for 21st century learning.”

Wokingham District Council