A new £2.5million building has been completed at Exmouth Community College.

The 902 square-metre, two-storey detached maths block, on the site of a former stables and workshop, was funded through a successful grant application and joint partnership working with the Education Funding Agency and Devon County Council. The building - phase one of a planned improvement programme at the college – was officially handed over to college principal Tony Alexander by project managers NPS South West.

Mr Alexander said: “This building, with its exemplary design, wide corridors and sizeable light and airy classrooms, will assist our aim of becoming an outstanding school.

“Both students and staff are delighted with the opportunities it affords to provide the high-quality teaching and learning.

“It is a credit to my staff who helped to plan it, NPS who project managed and [construction company] Interserve, who built such an inspirational building, on time and within budget. It will be a huge asset, not only to the college, but also the town of Exmouth.

“I am very grateful to all involved, notably Kim Dearsly, our finance director, Miss Bowles, curriculum director, Simon Niles, from Devon County Council, and Chris Jay, from NPS, who all played crucial roles in the development of this wonderful building. I am absolutely thrilled and delighted to have secured it.”

Mrs Dearsly said: “This is a wonderful new educational facility for the children of Exmouth and the first major injection of cash into our buildings in a long time.

“Securing the funding was not easy and entailed a lot of hard work writing the bid application to ensure we secured funding and it was all very much a team effort. We’re now looking to substantially enhance our facilities as a result of successful Priority Schools Building Programme Two bid.”