STAFF and students at Southampton's Woodlands Community School showed off the new £11.4m building and state-of-the-art facilities that are to revolutionise their lives.

The new-look school in Harefield offers youngsters great opportunities for development in drama and dance and boasts excellent facilities for public performances.

The old school buildings have already been demolished and work is now under way to turn the area into a fully floodlit synthetic turf pitch, playing fields and car parking.

Following this year's best ever GCSE results, Woodlands pupils have never been better off.

It will also be a boon for the area's residents, with significant expansion of its community provision.

People of all ages will be able to choose from a wealth of new community classes, which are being held using the school's facilities and in a specially-designated community pavilion. Courses will range from basic computing and first aid to t'ai chi and DIY.

Organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and NHS Health Advice will be on site once a week.

The community can also hire rooms or sports facilities such as football and rugby pitches, tennis and netball courts, a dance studio and even a fully-equipped 32-person conference room.

Head teacher Richard Martin said: "We are delighted to finally be in our new state-of-the-art school buildings.

"We have made strenuous efforts over recent years to improve the attainment levels of pupils and this year the average number of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs at A* to C grades rose by a staggering 13.9 per cent.

"These superb facilities will further enhance the learning opportunities and achievements of our children." City education boss Cllr Calvin Horner said:

"Woodlands Community School has made great advances in recent years and these excellent facilities will help to ensure that schoolchildren in Harefield will continue to get the best possible quality education."

The opening of the building is the third the city has seen since this year, following Redbridge and Cantell schools. All have been built under a controversial £42m private finance initiative, which uses a combination of private and public money for the projects.