Middlesbrough's Oakfields College construction starts

The college is expected to open in September 2012

Construction has started on the last school to be built under Middlesbrough Council's Building Schools for the Future programme.

Oakfields Community College is being paid for by the £100m scheme which has now been scrapped by the government.

It will be the sixth out of eight schools in the town to have a new building.

Mayor of Middlesbrough Ray Mallon said the college would raise standards of education for future generations.

Mr Mallon will join students and the school's principal, Michael Hutton, to cut the first turf on the new site on Thursday.

Oakfields was created from Hall Garth Community Arts College and King's Manor School, both in Acklam.

School specialisms

The new college, which is being constructed behind the current school buildings, will reflect Oakfields' specialisms in sports and the arts.

There will be a prominant theatre as well as indoor and outdoor performance spaces.

A county standard sports hall, floodlit tennis courts, a synthetic turf pitch and outdoor facilities for netball, basketball, cricket and athletics are also part of the plans.

Mr Mallon described the new college as a "21st century workplace where teaching could flourish".

He said: "It's important that the community will also have access to these facilities so that the school will become a hub for its community."

College principal, Michael Hutton, said: "The Oakfields motto is 'learning for life'.

"This new building will help us to make this a reality for our students not just during their school days but throughout their lives."

The school is expected to open in September 2012.