PUPILS at a popular secondary school are benefitting from a major upgrade to facilities.

Students of Selby High School are now making good use of two recently renovated science laboratories.

The project was funded by North Yorkshire County Council and saw two of the oldest science classrooms in the school newly refurbished under a £340,000 scheme.

Cllr Patrick Mulligan, executive member for education and skills said: “I’m pleased that North Yorkshire County Council has been able to deliver this project despite the challenges of Covid and within the building supply chain.

“We are constantly working to try to provide the best facilities for teaching and learning for children and young people in North Yorkshire.”

The rooms were entirely refurbished with new interactive whiteboards having been installed as well as black-out blinds that can be used for some experiments and demonstrations.

Not only this, but new flooring and science benches were added to the classrooms as well as other equipment.

A general teaching classroom was also created as part of the scheme and several windows were replaced.

Since being installed the school has been able to host special STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Maths) events.

The renovation has gone down well with students with Year 11s Ashleigh Hayes and Isabelle Megilley having said that the new facilities have helped strengthen their motivation for study.

Ashleigh said: “The sciences are definitely the subjects that I am most passionate about, so when I am older I aspire to be a doctor or work in research science in order to find a cure for something like Alzheimer’s or cancer.

“I would love to be able to do something I love whilst helping other people. Being in the new labs really inspires me as I have an incredible environment to learn in so I can do my best but also gain a taste of what my life could be like in the future - the labs feel so professional.”

Isabelle said: “In the future, I hope to attend Oxbridge to study for my undergraduate and master’s degrees. Having advanced, new labs and learning in such an inspiring setting is a great motivation and makes science lessons hugely exciting.

“Being in a stimulating new environment like the new labs really incites drive towards my goals, and I can see that it has done the same thing amongst other students too.”

The new science facilities have had a positive impact on both the students and the teachers of Selby High School.

Head of science Rebecca Brigg said: “We now have a nice new laboratory space fully equipped with everything we need.

“It’s a great working environment for everyone and benefits the students.”