A NEW era in education began yesterday as one of the North-East's leading colleges officially took the wraps off a £5m redevelopment project.

Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington, staged a ceremony to mark the completion of a scheme to bring it firmly into the 21st century.

Sir Alan Wilson, the director general of higher education, joined 300 guests to open the extension, which has brought all of the college's annexes together on its main site, in Vane Terrace.

The central feature of the new design is a glazed atrium, providing a study area with 48 PCs and other modern technology and learning resources.

The new-look site also boasts a sports hall, purpose-built suites for business, leisure and tourism, drama and theatre studies, and new science laboratories.

There is also an open-plan art and design studio, while rooms in the Abbey Road wing have been refurbished.

Bosses at the college, which takes students from across County Durham and North Yorkshire, hailed the development as "transformational".

Principal David Heaton said: "Seventy per cent of the funding came from our own efforts.

"It's an indication of the ambition, courage and astuteness of the governing body.

"There's always an element of risk when it's your own finance - the Government hasn't been writing any cheques for us here."

"It must be onwards and upwards for us from here. We can't afford any complacency now."

Sir Alan, a former student at the college's predecessor - Darlington Boys' Grammar School - also praised the scheme.

"The college represents all that is best about education and is now doing it on a grand scale," he said.

"I think the fact that this has been achieved says not only a lot about David and his team, but Darlington as a town.

"Little Darlington is actually doing brilliantly."

The opening of the new buildings represents the latest boost for the college.

Last week, it was awarded Beacon status by the Government and this year it reported an A-level pass rate of 99 per cent.