THE Mayor of Dudley officially opened a revamped boarding house at Old Swinford Hospital School.

Councillor Mohammed Hanif, Dudley's Mayor, and the Mayoress, Zabeda Khanam, unveiled the new-look Foster House - the school's oldest boarding house - which has been modernised to create single and twin ensuite rooms for 60 year 13 students.

An apple tree was also planted by the Mayor outside Foster House during the celebrations on Friday October 21 to form part of the Boarding Schools Association's Boarding Orchard.

The Cox’s Orange Pippin was the 128th tree to be planted as part of the initiative - a scheme to create the largest orchard by distance in the UK, symbolising the 'tree of knowledge' and demonstrating each school's commitment to growth and the environment.

Foster House, which welcomed its first students in September, forms part of the school's new year 11 to 13 initiative to prepare students to move onto the next phase of their lives, whether it be university, apprenticeships or the work place.

The development, which aims to give students their own space and help them develop greater responsibility and independence, maintains the building's historic façade but includes a lightweight atrium constructed to create a central common room with links through the building to a study area and kitchen.

Headmaster Paul Kilbride said: “Research has shown a person’s work or study environment can have an impact on their performance. This recently refurbished house is bright and modern. There are spaces for individual and group study, as well as recreational areas, making it an ideal environment for students in their final year at OSH.

"I am pleased to see this project, which has taken several months of planning and involved numerous internal and external stakeholders, has been finished to such a high standard.”