What's happening with plans for the new Bexhill High School?

The first edition of the "Building for the Future" newsletter will be distributed in the local vicinity to update residents and answer the most frequently asked questions about the 37m new school project.

Working in partnership with the school, East Sussex County Council is building the state-of-the-art new facility with 33m from the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme and 4m from the council's own funds.

Last year the council organised a vision day involving representatives from parents, pupils, teachers, governors and the wider community to get local views on how the new facility should look and work. A design team led by Kier Regional was subsequently selected to progress the feasibility and outline design.

Cllr Keith Glazier, the County Council's Lead Member for Children's and Adults' services said: "This is an extremely exciting project which is vitally important for the local community. We want to make sure that people are kept as well-informed as possible on the project and how it is progressing. We hope to issue further editions of the newsletter at regular intervals throughout the project."

Involving the school and wider community in the project is essential, Cllr Glazier added. "We'll also be setting up a number of discussion opportunities to provide interested parties including students, teachers, stakeholders and local residents the chance to find out more about the project."

The newsletter answers questions such as: How did the project come about, what is the purpose of the project, how will the new school be developed, what will the benefits be both for students and the wider community, how will student's schooling be safeguarded while building work is carried out, and what will the timings be for the various stages of the project.

The current intention is to submit a planning application for the new school in the spring. Subject to approval it is hoped that building work can start in the autumn with a target completion date of Sept 2010. Designs for both the school and associated 14-19 Skills centre at the two sites at Gunters Lane and Down Road are currently being developed.

Electronic copies of the "Building for the Future" newsletter are available on the school buildings pages of the East Sussex County Council website, www.eastsussex.gov.uk and through the school's website at www.bexhillhigh.e-sussex.sch.uk