A real class act

SPARKS flew at Clevedon Community School as pupils conducted a special experiment to mark the building of their new science block.Year 10 students Zoe Bond, Helen Price and Freja Lovett, performed a science experiment on the foundations of the new block, which will boast 10 laboratories as well as computer suites.Many of the school's windows were boarded up at the beginning of the year because the frames were so rotten the glass had been falling out.The building work is part of a £4million project to improve the school and the new science block is due to be finished by September 2008.Headteacher John Wells said: "The whole project is part of a replacement of the existing science block which is no longer fit for use."The project is funded by North Somerset Council and it involves replacing the music block and building a new science block."The 30-year-old mobile classroom, previously used for music, has now been replaced by a new building with two music rooms, a recording studio and a number of practice suites for pupils. The new facility was opened up in September and has proved extremely popular with students.Mr Wells said: "We are looking forward to the new facilities and being able to give students opportunities to extend their learning. It's an exciting time for the school, having had very little building development in the past." The new science block will be a lesson in itself, fitted with solar panels, rain water harvesting equipment and readings to show how much gas and energy is being used by the building. It will also be able to teach youngsters how to measure their carbon footprints and keep energy consumption down.Solar panels will heat the water in the toilet and the low energy lights will be programmed to switch off when no-one is in the room. The school is hoping the local authority will now fund replacements for the ailing art and technology blocks and is currently in talks with North Somerset Council to secure funding for the work.