work is due to start in December on the £28million rebuilding of Leigh’s Belfairs High School.

Swedish-based contractor Skanska says it will be aiming to have the new building ready to be used by the school’s 1,300 pupils by the end of next year.

In the meantime, temporary buildings have been brought on to the site, in Highlands Boulevard, to house youngsters while work is carried out. The project is being funded by the Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme and Southend Council.

Belfairs, a specialist media and arts college, will be transformed, with bright new classrooms filled with the latest technology.

Special areas which can accommodate several classes for joint activities will feature in the new design, along with a dedicated performance space for drama, dance and music and rooms for adult education classes.

The new school building will be able to hold as many as 1,350 pupils and be designed to be sustainable, producing 60 per cent less carbon than the present school.

Biomass boilers which burn wood chips from sustainable forests,. will boost energy efficiency while some building materials from the old school will be reused to cut down on the amount of material brought on-site.

Roger Hadley, Southend councillor responsible for education, said: “We are pleased Skanska has been successful in winning the contract and look forward to working with the company over this most exciting project.”

Belfairs headteacher John Duprey added: “We are absolutely delighted to have this once-in-a-lifetime chance to provide our school and our community with a superb educational environment which will enhance teaching and learning for generations to come.”