It’s been an exciting move for sixth form students who have settled into their new centre at St Ninian’s High School.

The new sixth form centre has opened to accommodate the growing number of students and meet their needs ahead of going to university or into work.

With limited space and funding to build a completely new centre at the secondary school, it was decided that the ’progress zone’ - which was a number of small rooms near the school canteen - would be swapped with the old sixth form centre which stood at the back of the school.

Head teacher Chris Coole said: ’The previous sixth form centre wasn’t as good as the students deserved.

’One of the priorities in the last four years was to try to develop some accommodation that was fitting for them. It took a while to secure funding to be able to do what we have done.’

The old centre comprised a number of small classrooms on two floors that would fit roughly 12 students each.

Due to the lack of space, the Year 12 students would use the canteen during their private study breaks.

Work began on the site with walls being knocked down to create open spaces, including the main quiet study zone, a collaborative space with a small kitchen and some meeting rooms which the students can book out.

With the majority of the renovation work taking place over the summer months, the students were introduced to their new facility at the end of October last year.

Some minor works are still taking place.

The quiet room, which is a food-free zone, contains a range of tables and booths that cleverly make use of the space with glass window walls to bring in natural light and allow younger students to look in and see what sixth form is about.

Head of sixth form Kevin Schofield said: ’The former sixth form centre was a bit disjointed, but now it’s brought them together.’

He added: ’The new centre reflects a university environment with the break out spaces suiting everyone’s needs.’

Out of the about 240 sixth formers, some 80% have set their sights on university.

modern

Year 13 student Rachel Gregson, 18, who saw her year group move from the old premises said the new centre provides a better community feeling. It’s a lot more modern and up-to-date.

’It’s good in the way that it can be more appealing for students coming from outside the school and we feel like more of a community,’ she said.

’It gives you a chance to corroborate with the Year 12s because you’re in the same working space.’

Year 12 student Caitlin Dowds, 17, said: ’I went on the university trip with school and have seen their studying spaces reflected in the new centre here. I think it will help us get ready for the university environment and working environment.’

Matthew Ismay, 16, is new to sixth form.

He said: ’It’s good for people who study differently and is very well suited to what we need.

’For instance, the plug sockets have USB ports.’

Fellow Year 12 pupil Megan Cannell, 16, said: ’I find it’s very good and like that there are rooms where you can work by yourself.’

A pastoral support worker is based in the centre and a mental health wellbeing room is nearby to provide support.