Hull opens new five schools with scuba diving facilities

Thousands of UK children living in the northern city and authority area of Kingston upon Hull, most commonly referred to as Hull, are soon to benefit from brand new education facilities with five new “world class” schools set to open in September.

This new collection of freshly built schools, dubbed “world class” for their vast range of facilities will include a 320 and 350-seat auditorium for concerts, an Eco dome for science experiments, an amphitheatre to stage outside productions, a 320-metre BMX track, an outdoor art terrace with views across the panoramic Humber Bridge and a mega-large 20-metre swimming pool that includes a 3-metre deep-end for children learning to scuba dive.

Yesterday, the first pictures inside the multi-million pound buildings were published by local paper, Hull Daily Mail, showing the interiors of the project that has been hailed as the most important change to education that Hull has experienced in decades.

But one of the facilities most children are already getting excited about is the possibility of being taught scuba diving techniques that later on they will be able to practice during scuba diving holidays in exotic destinations. Callam Curtis, an 11-year-old pupil who will be a pupil at the new Winifred Holtby School in Midmere Avenue, from September 2011, expressed his delight over the new scuba diving facilities:

"We have a swimming pool and I have found out it is so deep we can do scuba diving. It is indescribable. Everything is absolutely amazing.” – he went on to add.

And the team of staff members at the new school are thrilled about the opening of the new schools too. Steve Liddle, head at Winifred Holtby, revealed: "I am very excited. There has been a lot of hard work, dedication and commitment and it has been well worthwhile. It is such a fantastic gain."

Likewise, Dr Cathy Taylor, principal at Sirius, expressed the joy about the new education facilities: "We are incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to have the facilities we have from September."

The new schools are pioneering under the Building School for the Future scheme (BSF) as they are the first to open in the £400 million investment programme.

Councillor Phil Webster, portfolio holder for BSF, said the schools would play a crucial role in driving up education standards in the city. Ken Sainty, acting head of localities and learning at Hull City Council, said: "This is what Hull needs and it is what our young people deserve."