THE birth of Blakewater College has hardly been a painless experience.

Last year's announcement that failing Queen's Park Technology College - formerly High School - was to close at the end of last term to be replaced by a "new school" a couple of weeks later was certainly a radical way of dealing with an officially "failing" establishment with a woeful record.

But teaching unions were furious that staff were faced with having to apply for jobs at Blakewater College, or re-apply for their own jobs as they saw it.

And only 10 out of 36 made the transition.

Opposition councillors criticised the move as a "quick fix" to get out of an embarrassing situation and many parents were understandably extremely worried about what would happen to their children's education, especially during the lengthy period of limbo before today's Blakewater College opening.

But today, six months down the line, the fact is that the new school is reality and there is no longer any point in looking backwards.

First impressions are positive too, with the novel idea of giving pupils a new uniform free of charge as part of the establishment of a new identity.

And the publicly-expressed commitment to succeed from the new head is also a good omen for the future.

The road ahead is a difficult one but we must wish Blakewater College every success.