£1.5m block a boost for science

Feb 13 2008 by Sue Scott, Evening Gazette

A £1.5M IT and science block has opened at a North-east school - with help from finance experts on Teesside.

The new facility at Barnard Castle School has been built thanks to a funding package from The Royal Bank of Scotland.

Established more than 120 years ago, Barnard Castle School is an independent school which offers education to day and boarding pupils aged four to 18.

The school currently has 739 pupils and employs 79 teaching and 87 non-teaching staff.

To cater for growing pupil numbers, the new state-of-the-art IT and physics block has been developed.

Designed to complement the existing surrounding school estate while housing the finest classroom environment, the new building brings physics and IT under one roof. It consists of three physics laboratories, a preparation room, two IT classroom and an IT open access area.

School bursar Alastair White said: “To ensure we were able to develop exceptional facilities in keeping with the school’s reputation and high educational standards, it was important that we had the necessary funding package in place.”

David Lander, relationship manager, commercial banking at RBS in Stockton, added: “We are delighted to welcome Barnard Castle School as a new customer.

“It is entering an exciting period and we look forward to supporting them with their growth aspirations and strategic objectives.”