PARENTS got their first chance to look round the new York High school building last night.

A month after the school opened its doors to pupils on September 10, parents got their first official opportunity to experience the new school at an open night.

Last month The Press reported that more than 1,000 pupils came together under one roof when the school opened at its Dijon Avenue site in Acomb.

In the evening, prospective parents who are thinking of sending their pupils to the school were given a talk by head teacher David Ellis, before being given a guided tour of the buildings and getting to see the new school prospectus.

The school has been formed after the merger of Lowfield and Oaklands schools.

During the summer, a temporary building of 20 classrooms and offices was installed by Portakabin. Clugston Construction have been responsible for creating new teaching spaces including food, art and computer rooms, as well as refurbishing and upgrading a number of other rooms.

York High School will remain in Dijon Avenue before returning to the former Oaklands site in Cornlands Road following a revamp in January 2009.

Mr Ellis said: "This is the beginning of a journey which will soon provide the community with a new school building, excellent education and a wide range of opportunities for everyone through our Sports College status.

"A new school is a once in a generation event which we intend will serve as a catalyst for improving the life chances of our young people.

"We look forward to working not only with parents but worth everyone in our community to create a school of which we can all be proud."

Mr Ellis was formerly head at Oaklands School, where last January he introduced a scheme, reported in The Press at the time, where parents could face £50 fines if their child persistently skipped class. Truancy at Oaklands School was the second worst in The Press's circulation area of York, North and East Yorkshire, with pupils missing about one day in every 50.

He revealed the school was using a new "attendance panel" system, under which parents whose youngsters have a persistently poor attendance record can be fined £50.

Lowfield had the worst attendance figures in the city and it is hoped that by operating the attendance panel system at York High these figures will be reduced.