Morpeth's bright future as new building begins

By Lorrayne Johnson 

26 July 2010

The ground was officially broken at Morpeth Secondary School this month, making way for new classrooms, sporting and community facilities.

Morpeth’s building programme is part of the Tower Hamlets Building Schools for the Future scheme, which is investing in 21 secondary schools across the borough.

A new two-storey building with an atrium design will be constructed, providing a new home for many of the school’s departments including music, humanities, business studies and ICT.

New, expansive, indoor sport facilities are also being built, and the English Table Tennis Association is developing and supporting a dedicated table tennis resource for the school’s highly successful table tennis squad.

The neighbouring Globetown Learning Community facilities are also being extended, to improve the education support programmes which the charity provides to children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Lead councillor for children, schools and families, Shiria Khatun, said: “I am delighted to see the school’s building work officially start on site.

“Morpeth is achieving great results with its students and these new facilities will help give our children an excellent platform from which to launch their future studies and careers.”

Head teacher Sir Alasdair MacDonald (pictured, top) said: “Buildings make a difference. If you can give young people a really positive, high-quality environment they respond to that.

“Many young people in Tower Hamlets come from disadvantaged backgrounds and they deserve the very best we can offer them.

“The council has been brilliant; it has always made education a top priority and we have benefited from that. For current and future Morpeth students, the future is certainly very bright.”

Morpeth student Adam Sullivan, 13, from Bethnal Green, has been watching the building work since it began: “It’s been great watching the builders do their work and seeing the changes. I can’t wait for the new buildings to be finished.”

Tyler Sang, 12, from Mile End, added: “I am going to enjoy using our new building when the project is finished.”

The building is due for completion in December 2012.