Sidmouth College will be starting the new year with new facilities, following the completion of the first phase of its redevelopment project.

Building work was paused during the Covid-19 lockdown and then slowed down by restrictions on the number of workers who could be on-site at any one time.

But it finished before Christmas, with new classrooms built and fitted out with audio-visual equipment.

Staff are using the Christmas break to prepare the classrooms for students to start using them as soon as the college reopens.

The college is describing the transition as the most significant change in decades, which will impact the education of young people for many years to come.

It has taken more than five years to come to fruition, following the announcement in early 2015 that Sidmouth College would be a part of the Government's Priority Schools Building Project.

With phase one completed, the next stage will be the demolition of the old college buildings, followed by the final landscaping work in May. A community celebration is being planned when the whole project is completed in the summer.

Head teacher Sarah Parsons said: "The completion of phase one provides us with some good news at a time when there is so much anxiety and uncertainty in the current climate.

"The feedback from staff and students has been overwhelmingly positive.

"I am pleased that our students will have such a fantastic environment to support our high-quality teaching and learning and I am looking forward to welcoming them back in the New Year.

"To prepare for the move, the college launched a fundraising campaign to raise funds to purchase equipment available to students inside the new building. The first priority was to raise enough funds to equip all new classrooms with the latest audio-visual equipment, consisting of interactive HD screens and sound equipment, and thanks to a number of generous donations and funding we have been able to purchase this equipment.

"Our aim is for Sidmouth College to become a centre of excellence for its students and our facilities will also provide new opportunities for the local community; we will be providing more information shortly to share what is available."

The college is continuing to fundraise for the last pieces of furniture and other items needed for the new classrooms. To donate, visit its JustGiving page.