A SECONDARY school will open its doors to the community after a multi-million pound redevelopment to bring it up to standard.

St John's RC Comprehensive School, Bishop Auckland, is celebrating a £4.1m windfall from the Department for Education and Skills.

The money will pay for improvements to the 1960s building in a vision to develop "whole life learning" for the school and community.

The project will see extensive improvements to the school and the creation of an Open Learning Centre for use used by pupils and the local community.

Work is expected to start by the end of the year and be completed between the following September and Christmas.

Headteacher Gerard Moran said: "Teachers, and pupils themselves, are the main influences on learning, but the right environment is essential. We will be able to provide the best possible resources, ICT facilities that can be used for learning and make pupils more employable, and an environment that is stimulating and vibrant.

"We also have a strong, extended community which includes local residents and families from Spennymoor, Crook and Barnard Castle. As a Roman Catholic school we have pupils from outside the town.

"Our concept is for whole life learning, making each suite of classrooms as good as possible, with 24-seven learning available for the school and wider community through our Open Learning Centre."

A science block will be built to provide space inside the school for a technology suite and expressive arts base.

A Sixth Form Centre will also be developed to expand the post-16 education department, with art study facilities, a cyber caf, study rooms and video conferencing and conference rooms.

All the developments will provide disabled access.

Fred Wilson, chairman of the school's governors, said: "We, and the Friends of St John's, were delighted to support the application and thrilled it has come to fruition.

"It will benefit St John's, other schools in the area and the community, which we feel is part of the school's role."