A WOLLASTON high school is to be given a major makeover as part of a flagship government rebuilding programme.

Ridgewood High School is one of only 11 secondary schools in the West Midlands to be included in the second phase of the Priority Building Programme and one of only two in the Dudley borough - along with Huntingtree Primary School - set to receive funds for an extensive remodelling project.

The Department for Education and Education Funding Agency funded programme will provide £2billion to rebuild or refurbish school buildings from 2015 to 2021 and a minimum of £250,000 will go to primary schools and £500,000 to secondary schools to fund projects beyond the scope of a school’s own capital allocations.

Ridgewood headteacher Clive Nutting said he does not yet know how much funding the Park Road West school will receive towards the project.

But he said: “This is fantastic news. I am delighted that Ridgewood has been successful in its application for this phase of the governments’ building programme.

"We can now look forward to a significant rebuilding, refurbishment and modernisation of a number of our buildings and facilities.

"We have worked hard over the years to make the best of our buildings and facilities and the new extension in 2007 gave the school a huge boost.

"However a number of our blocks remain of 1960's construction, with single glazed windows and flat roofs and this project should see the whole site brought up to impressive standards fit for the 21st century."

He said the EFA's technical advisors will carry out site visits between April and July to assess and plan the work required.

News of the funding comes just under a year after the school celebrated boosting its Ofsted rating from 'requires improvement' to 'good' and as Ridgewood prepares to become part of a multi-academy trust together with top performing King Edward VI College in Stourbridge this spring.

Stourbridge MP Margot James congratulated the school on its latest achievement and added: "It's been a good year for Ridgewood."