A MULTI-MILLION pound project to expand The Wordsley School has been completed, with the new facilities officially unveiled on Friday December 3.

The £6m project saw the creation of a new sports hall, library and 10 extra classrooms plus other redevelopment works including the installation of modern heating, lighting and ventilation systems to ensure excellent energy efficiency is maintained.

The new facilities were officially unveiled by former headteacher and deputy Mike and Maggie Lambert and former pupil, rising literary star, education activist and founder of Empowered by Vee, Vee Kativhu, who studied at Oxford and Harvard.

Gareth Burton, headteacher of The Wordsley School, said: "We feel very fortunate to have acquired such funding to enable children and families within and beyond The Wordsley area access to such excellent facilities.

Stourbridge News: Music teacher Mr Fisher, writer Vee Kativhu and history teacher Mr BallMusic teacher Mr Fisher, writer Vee Kativhu and history teacher Mr Ball

"This is a great day for the pupils and staff at The Wordsley School who have seen the construction and redevelopment across the school at various phases of the project until completion in the summer of 2021 to now benefit from these enhancements which will raise the aspirations of generations of pupils to come.

"It was wonderful to welcome Mike Lambert and Maggie Lambert, our former headteacher and assistant headteacher, back to the school to open the facilities. Mike and Maggie led the school for such a long period of time and their energy and dynamism over many years led to the successful bid and construction of our new facilities."

Former pupil and published author Vee Kativhu said: "It was such an honour to be invited back and so strange to call all my old teachers by their first names. "I can’t believe my name is on a plaque at my old school, it’s just amazing.

Stourbridge News: Writer Vee Kativhu at the opening of the new block at Wordsley SchoolWriter Vee Kativhu at the opening of the new block at Wordsley School

"I was really driven to learn when I was here and the teachers supported me and my desire to be the best I could be, setting me extra work and providing additional lessons to help me get where I am today. Seeing copies of my book in the new school library is just incredible."

Councillor Ruth Buttery, Dudley Council's cabinet member for children and young people, said: "This project has been several years in the making and came about as we saw the need to expand our secondary school provision in this part of the borough. Admission numbers have been consistently high for Wordsley and it seemed a natural fit for Wordsley School to provide these places and simultaneously improve its offer.

"The new buildings will provide students with more modern, inspiring learning environments and top-notch facilities and be an additional asset for the community who hire its facilities and access learning and self-improvement through Learning4Life."