THESE artist’s impressions reveal the future for Blackburn with Darwen’s eight re-built schools — as bosses pledged they will be the most high-tech in the country.

Images and details have been released of the first two schools to be transformed – Darwen Vale High School and Pleckgate High School Maths and Computing College.

Virtual tour of how Pleckgate School will look

THE biggest transformation of education in Blackburn and Darwen’s history is the ‘opportunity of a lifetime’, according to bosses.

School children watched in awe as the final designs for the new pilot schools were revealed.

Virtual tour round the new Darwen Vale School

Palm trees, an indoor winter garden, a BMX cycle track, a theatre, outside terrace for artwork, fitness trail and a living green roof are just a few of the state-of-art fixtures and fittings.

Pupils were yesterday given a virtual tour the new state-of-the-art buildings for Darwen Vale High School and Pleckgate High School Maths and Computing College under the Building Schools for the Future, BSF, scheme.

They will be the first of eight re-built schoools in the borough.

Balfour Beatty Education, which will carry out the £203million contract, gave a room-by-room look at the new school and community facilities which are due to open in two years.

The stunning designs have been created with input from pupils, staff, Blackburn with Darwen Council and Balfour Beatty Education bosses.

Most of Darwen Vale’s existing building will be demolished and rebuilt, but the Grade II-listed frontage and wings will be retained.

The main entrance will be replaced with two-storey glass panels. New facilities will include a community library and outdoor, part-covered amphitheatre.

Pleckgate will be completely rebuilt. It will have rounded edges to give a modern look. Sections of ‘bubble roof’ similar to those seen at the Eden Project and the Chinese Olympic swimming pool will add to the futuristic appeal.

Both schools will be eco-friendly, with allotments for school dinners, the roofs will be topped with grass to blend in with their surroundings.

Bosses have pledged to use up to 60 per cent of local labour on site and will guarantee to interview local tradespeople. They are also committing to using up to 40 per cent of local supply chain to deliver the BSF programme.

Coun Chris Thayne, executive member for Blackburn with Darwen Council’s children’s services, said: “It’s very exciting to see the programme progressing well and I am especially glad that the first two schools to start work were involved in shaping the designs.

“BSF will affect virtually everyone in Blackburn and Darwen and will shape the future of the area, its communities and its learners. It is a massive investment in schools, but it is about more than buildings because it is also the chance to transform learning for generations of pupils through an innovative and personalised curriculum.”

Chris Sargent, Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton bid director for Balfour Beatty Education, said: “The new schools in Pleckgate and Darwen Vale, and the future schemes will deliver inspirational learning environments for the pupils, teachers and local economies across the two councils.”

Mark Howden, head of regeneration for Balfour Beatty Education, described the scheme as an opportunity of a lifetime for pupils, local businesses and the general economy.

Robin Campbell, headteacher of Pleckgate High School said: “I am absolutely delighted. We are really chuffed.

“It will give us some really interesting ways to develop our teaching and we will have to look at how to engage the community.”

Harry Catherall, deputy chief executive (community and personal) for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “The two sample schools have taken on an enormous responsibility for Blackburn with Darwen.

"They are the samples for Bolton schools too and they know reaching this point isn’t the end it is just the beginning.”

>>> HOW YOUR SCHOOL WILL BE AFFECTED

Pleckgate Community School. A new school built alongside the existing school on the current site and the number of pupils will increase from 1,190 to 1,350 pupils by 2011.

Darwen Vale Community High School: will be substantially rebuilt, with only the historic frontage and wings retained. The school will temporarily relocate to the school site at Holden Fold, Darwen, from September 2010 while the building work takes place, returning to their new school building in September 2012.

Blakewater College Community School: the current Blakewater College School will be replaced with the new east Blackburn community school. This will be built on Haslingden Road, Blackburn, in the spring term of 2012. Crosshill School will be co-located on the site of the new build community school on Haslingden Road.

Our Lady & St John RC High School: the existing school will be remodelled, including significant new build. The school will close for building work in December 2012 and pupils will move to the vacated Blakewater College site until the project is completed in summer 2015.

Witton Park Community High School (below): will be completely rebuilt on the existing site, with pupil numbers increasing from 1,062 to 1,200 by the summer term 2012.

St Bede’s RC High School: The existing building will be remodelled, including significant new build. Pupils will move to the vacated Beardwood High School site in September 2012 while work is ongoing until the spring term of 2014.

Beardwood Community School will close in July 2012 because council bosses say pupil numbers in the west of Blackburn are predicted to fall.

Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School: the growing school will relocate to the larger Beardwood site, which will undergo extensive refurbishment, in September 2015.

St Wilfrid’s CE High School: it is not included in the scheme as it was recently re-built, but it will benefit from ICT investment.