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Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Heritage experts have held up Bolton School as an example to the
country on how school buildings should be modernised.
The building was constructed in 1924 although the school's
history goes back almost 500 years, and now it has been cited by
English Heritage as an example to local authorities to encourage
them to refurbish old school buildings rather than demolishing them
and rebuilding new ones.
English Heritage, with the backing of the government's
Department for Children, Schools and Families, has published new
guidance entitled Refurbishing Historic Schools Buildings for local
authorities, which says school buildings can symbolise an area's
history.
Headmistress of Bolton School Girls' Division, Mrs Gill
Richards, said: "We are immensely proud of our historic building
and know that it is of real appeal when pupils are applying to us.
Many people - pupils and adults alike - feel inspired on a daily
basis when they walk through the centre arch and enter the main
quadrangle. The School's neo-Gothic facade and turrets are
undoubtedly one of Bolton's best known landmarks. We are currently
undertaking an £18 million building project but have been very
careful to ensure that the new Infant and Junior Girls' School have
been designed in a manner that is sympathetic to the original
buildings that were built with an endowment by Lord
Leverhulme."
English Heritage is the Government's statutory adviser on the
historic environment, and its aim is not only to ensure the
preservation of our historic surroundings for the future, but also
to encourage people to appreciate and enjoy this heritage today.
Regional Director, Henry Owen-John, said: "Many historic school
buildings are beautifully designed and were built to last. Many are
landmark buildings which mean so much to local communities. We
believe that local education authorities need to strike the best
balance between replacement and refurbishment."
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