Topping out ceremony for £2m science centre at Moreton Hall School
A new £2 million science centre at a Shropshire school has had its topping out ceremony, keeping the project on target for its planned opening in 2014.
Moreton Hall School is planning to open the centre in the autumn at the beginning of its centenary year.
It will replace the school's current science area and include six dedicated teaching laboratories.
Alexandra Hankinson, spokeswoman for the independent school just north of Oswestry, said: "As the numbers of our girls taking science has increased, we have outgrown our present science centre which was built in 1968 and which does not reflect the ambitions of our students and teachers of science.
"The significance of the building stretches far beyond the boundaries and pupils of Moreton Hall as this will become a regional hub for science, bringing together many of the county's aspiring young scientists.
"It will provide state-of-the-art laboratories for our students and the wider community with provision for junior science, GCSE and A-Level subjects to be delivered to the highest specification, in an inspiring and innovative teaching environment."
The centre was partially designed by sixth form students at the school, who were asked for their ideas of what they would like to see included.
As a result, many of their ideas were incorporated into the plans, and although the students will all have left by the time the centre is opened, they will be invited back for the opening to see the results of their designs. The centre will include a specialist medical science department after the school joined forces with Keele University to form the hub for a ground-breaking triangular relationship between Moreton, state schools and universities.
Lynne Boon, chairwoman of the school governors, said she was looking forward to seeing the centre in use.
She said: "I am particularly delighted at the prospect of the medical science faculty at Moreton Hall, having myself spent 40 rewarding years as a general practitioner. It is difficult for pupils to imagine a career in medicine or engineering and this facility will enlighten and inspire students across the whole community."
The centre has been designed by Baart Harries Newell architects of Shrewsbury and Jones Bros of Weston Rhyn is the principal contractor.
