AS frustration builds after five years of high-profile negotiations over Christopher Whitehead High School's future, another city school has quietly been transformed. Here, the Evening News takes a look at how Elgar Technology College has redeveloped previously limited facilities into a "cutting edge" school.

AS conflicting interests have stalled Christopher Whitehead High School's progress, so Elgar Technology College's transformation has been built on co-operation.

For the former, the city and county council have disagreed, Tesco and Sainsbury's have competed and the Government's latest decision is at odds with its own guidelines - leading to a frustrating impasse.

In Elgar's case, Department of Education and Skills funding, Local Education Authority backing, innovative ICT programmes and Technology status have led to something of a revolution.

Millions of pounds have been spent on a new maths block, music studio, drama area, art rooms, science labs, learning support centres, a video-conference suite and assembly hall.

The sports hall will be finished next April - and even a cyber caf is planned - when the Bilford Road school will boast state-of-the-art facilities for all its students.

And the smooth upgrading over the past two years has not gone unnoticed.

The DfES is including Elgar Technology College in a new brochure detailing successful redevelopment - described as an "inspirational guide" to school improvements.

"The DfES asked us if we would mind being in a publication on how existing schools can be overhauled without being knocked down," said headteacher Tony James.

"This school is totally different from how many people might remember it and it is a challenge we face to change people's - often deep-rooted - perceptions.

"We want to encourage parents to see how it is today because everyone who does visit says they are surprised how impressive it is."

The school is well on its way to becoming one of the "cathedrals of learning" Director of Education Julien Kramer often speaks of and the Government crave - a school that offers top quality facilities for students and the wider community.

The school day starts at 8.30am and ends at 2.55pm to give students more time for after-school clubs, sports and activities.

"Increasingly pupils are not leaving until 4pm or 5pm and are taking advantage of the other opportunities here," said the headteacher.

"We also hire out video conference facilities and offer computer courses as part of our business plan, and send out a newsletter to parents and nearby residents.

"One of the big changes is how our neighbours respond to us - they feel a lot happier, something which has come out of our regular community forum meetings."

The college's "Value Added Performance", which measures the improvement pupils make rather than "raw" exam results, compares favourably to many in Worcestershire and student numbers are rising - always a positive sign.

And the teamwork it has taken to drive standards up is in evidence everywhere.

"The first thing you look for at a school are the strengths, and the staff team is fantastic," said Mr James.

"But the support of the LEA has been great and the building work here shows a significant investment from them - you just can't miss that around the school.

"Some of the funding for the improvements has also come from Government initiatives and it has really helped us get to the leading edge."

However, backing the college has received goes beyond funding alone.

It leads the county's Investment in Excellence programme, an innovative staff training scheme, and is a leading partner in the Government's Virtual Workspace Project, to develop an on-line learning centre that automatically customises to pupils' skills.

With trolleys of laptop computers and interactive whiteboards throughout the school, ICT comes to the students rather than classes going to the technology.

"Pupils are immersed in technology. In every lesson they see teachers using wireless laptops or some form of ICT," said Mr James. "It rubs off on them.

"As a technology college this is what identifies us and makes us different."

LEAs across the country will soon receive a glossy DfES magazine highlighting the good practice involved in Elgar Technology College's redevelopment.

Parents and pupils across Worcester could do worse than taking a look at the "inspirational" school on their doorstep.