The biggest redevelopment project at a Keighley grant-maintained school is about to be completed.

The £800,000 scheme at Oakbank School, which involves building new classrooms and science laboratories, has been funded by the Government.

The project, due to be completed on January 25, was financed to meet the demand for places at the school which has 1,260 pupils and became grant-maintained about six years ago.

Work has already been completed on a new dining area and the finishing touches are being made to four new classrooms and two science laboratories.

"This is the biggest building project we have undertaken," said head teacher, John Roberts.

"It is an extremely exciting period for the school and we are delighted with the work.

"The school has also contributed £50,000 to the project from its own budget. It will pay for 30 new computers for one of the new classrooms which will be used for IT study."

The completion will be marked with a special opening ceremony when invited guests will be able to look around the facilities.

The scheme has also involved the refurbishment and modernisation of two classrooms and the establishment of a play area.

The new building is on stilts above a quadrangle which has become a play area. The first floor contains the new classrooms and above them the laboratories.

It is the latest chapter in the development of the school, which won sports college status in March 1997.

It was the only grant-maintained school in the country to be selected as one of the first six sports colleges.

It enabled the school to finance new basketball, five-a-side and short tennis facilities and to improve changing rooms.

The extra cash was also used to expand the range of other sports and encourage more girls to take part.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.