High School £34m bombshell

News that the High has been invited to take part in the Government's Building Schools for the Future - One School Pathfinder programme has delighted headteacher Mike Conn and chairman of governors Cllr Brian Kentfield.

Mr Conn told the Observer on Wednesday: "I haven't slept for a week just thinking about it!"

Already he is bursting with ideas for the creation of a vocational centre for Rother and Hastings open to all ages.

"I have said to the staff 'Go and dare to dream'!"

Brian Kentfield said of the news: "Fantastic!

"I have been a governor here for more than 20 years now a dream is coming true at last - we hope!

"We have been led along the path for many years with hoped-for improvements for the school. We have always been let down.

"We must NOT be let down this time."

East Sussex County Council undertook the first phase of the planned renewal of the school with the 5m building of the Year Seven accommodation at Gunters Lane in 1997.

But with no money for the forseeable future for the second phase of the move from Down Road, it looked as if the 1,600-pupil High - one of the biggest schools in East Sussex - was condemned to a split-site operation indefinitely.

The earliest that staff and pupils might have expected planning for a county-funded re-build to have started is thought to have been 2011.

Meanwhile, going against the county demographic trend, the High School's numbers have increased year on year and north Bexhill is zoned for 1,500 new homes.

The next stage hinges on the county cabinet. It wlll be invited on Tuesday to support the High School's nomination.