PARENTS, pupils, teachers and locals are all to get their say over a new multi-million pound secondary school for York.

As first revealed by The Press in July, City of York Council is planning to use a £24 million Government grant to replace the city's Joseph Rowntree School with a new building.

Now the school, in Haxby Road, will host a range of consultation events to find out exactly what people want from the new school.

Head teacher Hugh Porter said the idea is that everyone gets a chance to have an input into the school before detailed plans are drawn up.

Members of the local community are being invited to an event at the school on November 25, between 10am and noon, in the school hall.

This will follow an event from 7pm to 9pm, on Tuesday, for parents, also in the school hall.

Teachers will be updated on progress so far and have their say and students at the school will also be asked for their ideas at two separate events on dates yet to be decided.

Several options for building a new school in the existing grounds are being considered.

Mr Porter said: "The school is going to cost around £24 million and is intended to be opened in September 2009 so it's a fast three-year design and build and the intention is to make the building as environmentally friendly as possible and we are supported by the Joseph Rowntree Trust who will be sponsoring a design competition to select the designers for the new building."

City of York Council is one of only 25 "pathfinder" authorities to be invited to build a new secondary school under the BSF programme.

The Press in July reported how a report to the council's executive recommended Joseph Rowntree School be selected as York's "pathfinder" school.

The funding offer of £24 million is subject to strict deadlines, including a requirement that the new school is open by September 2009.

The council must then submit a detailed proposal to the Department for Education.

A council spokeswoman said analysis of all York schools showed Joseph Rowntree would require at least £3.2 million to bring its current facilities up to standard. She said the current buildings did not meet staff and student needs.

Mr Porter said: "Our current premises were built in a piecemeal manner between 1940 and 1975. Despite continuous maintenance they need many millions of pounds of capital investment just to bring them up to an acceptable standard.

"Unlike other York schools, we have not had major investment in our stock.

"There is no doubt that the best approach is to replace them with a purpose-built school fit for education in the 21st century.

"The new building will be a fitting complement to the excellent grounds and playing fields that we already enjoy."