Education bosses last night revealed plans for a £15m revamp of Darlington's biggest secondary school. Stuart Mackintosh looks at the background to the announcement.

WITH more than 1,200 pupils, specialist language college status and an attractive west end location, Hummersknott School is seen as one of the jewels in the crown of Darlington's education system.

Applications for entry to the school at year seven always far exceed the number of places available and, with its GCSE exams record being above the national average, it is not hard to see why.

As borough council chiefs continue a wide-ranging review of education that will eventually see at least one of the town's secondary schools closed, Hummersknott is guaranteed to be spared the axe.

Yet, despite its popularity and impressive academic achievements, the bricks and mortar have become a serious cause for concern. The size, design and layout of the buildings are proving a considerable barrier to progress.

In some areas, pupils are being taught in classrooms and laboratories more than 50 years old and different subject departments are spread across the vast Edinburgh Drive site.

Hummersknott is no different to other secondary schools in Darlington, in that it has suffered from a legacy of under-investment in recent times.

At present, the repair bills to bring the mechanical and electrical infrastructure of each school up to scratch make depressing reading.

Hummersknott needs £3.1m spending on it; Carmel £1.7m; Hurworth £782,000; Eastbourne £739,000; Longfield £695,000; and Branksome £608,000.

Now, the local education authority has decided that there can be no piecemeal solution.

Millions of pounds worth of capital investment are needed to enhance the learning environment for the future - but getting hold of such amounts is easier said than done.

The Government's Building Schools for the Future scheme - which allocates significant money for rebuilding or dramatic refurbishment of schools - was seen as the ideal source of funding.

But last November, Darlington learned that it was in wave eight of the initiative, meaning it would be 2013 before it was part of the full programme.

However, on February 24, the authority was made aware of another way of gaining the needed cash - through the Department for Education and Skills' Targeted Capital Fund.

And it is this money that Hummersknott is aiming for.

To get the money, the school will need to show curriculum improvement, science and design and technology improvements, enhanced provision for children with special needs and that the school has been opened up to the wider community.

Hummersknott is already a step ahead as far as the latter is concerned. Last year, Hummersknott and Skerne Park Primary became the first schools in Darlington to provide a wide range of community services under the extended schools initiative.

The deadline for the bid is April 28 - and Hummersknott School will be keeping its fingers crossed for a result that could be a springboard to a great future.