Pupils at a St Albans secondary school are already reaping the benefits of a new state-of-the-art sixth form block which boasts two classrooms and three areas for study and socialising.

Verulam School headmaster Paul Ramsey said that the £700,000 project has vastly improved an area where there was once a “decrepit 1970s style gymnasium which we could only use for examinations, where the boys used to freeze”.

A £554,000 government grant made up the bulk of the project’s funding, with Verulam providing the remainder.

Mr Ramsey said that local builders Borras Construction “did a fine job converting the gymnasium”.

The sixth form block was officially opened by former headmaster Michael Morgan – Verulam’s second head – at an event attended by current and past pupils.

There are 235 pupils in the sixth form.

School captain Kieran Zielinski said: “This centre gives us an environment where we can all pursue our academic goals and shows the commitment the school has in enabling us to achieve excellence.”

Mr Ramsey said that the school has employed two recent graduates to work as study supervisors in the new block, one of whom is “our first female ex-pupil to return to work for us”.

Verulam will soon also have its science block refurbished, with Borras starting the revamp in October.