PUPILS and staff at Rastrick High School are celebrating a £2.2m boost to maths.

The school has finally had funding approved for a new maths block to improve facilities for all.

They were awarded the money from the Education Funding Agency to improve teaching facilities for maths and students with physical impairments.

Rastrick current maths block has no disabled access or toilet facilities, and the school has a number of pupils who use wheelchairs.

Some of the classrooms have no direct access and can only be reached through adjacent rooms, causing disruption.

The school worked with architects to draw up the perfect replacement to suit the needs of all students and it will have eight classrooms instead of the current seven.

Headteacher Mrs Helen Lennie said: “Our school community is really thrilled at the news of our success in applying for additional funding.

“This new building will make a huge difference to the learning experience of every student at Rastrick High School, enabling this key subject to be delivered in a modern, professional working environment.

“It will also link two existing areas of the school buildings to improve access and will put facilities for disabled students geographically at the centre of our school.”

For several years Asset Management Reports have highlighted that the temporary wooden building at the Field Top Road school where maths is taught needed replacing and the difficulties experienced on site by those students with physical impairments.

Rastrick High School is the Calderdale Resource Provision for physically impaired students.

The school had applied for funding in 2010 but were not successful.

Since becoming an Academy last September there was a further opportunity for Rastrick to apply independently for capital funding, with applications open this month.

Construction should start during late summer and the project has been planned in such a way that the teaching of maths can carry on undisturbed while construction takes place.

It is hoped the new building will be fully operational for September 2013.

Mrs Lennie added: “It is the first stage of ambitious plans for the site which include new sports facilities, increased parking and moving the bus pickup and drop off area to the back of the school.

“Our ambition is not just to improve facilities on site for students and staff but also to improve the experience of our neighbours.”