A SPECIAL school, costing £2m to build, was opened in Consett yesterday.

The 64-pupil Villa Real Special School will provide the people of Derwentside with the best education for children with severe learning difficulties and autism.

Pupils and staff have swapped draughty hallways and leaky roofs of the old building for a sleek, modern learning centre.

The school moved into the new premises last September, but the official opening was delayed until it received the results of a report by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted).

The inspectors said they were impressed with the facilities, which include a hydrotherapy pool, soft play area and specialist accommodation for food technology, science, speech therapy, physiotherapy and autism.

Villa Real's headteacher Fiona Wood said: "At long last, the children have the building that they deserve.

"They had to put up with the previous school being housed in a four-room, two-storey former Victorian fever hospital. Now they've got education for the new millennium in surroundings that match.

"Since we've moved in, we've watched the children's progress improve all the time.

"Not only that, but pupil numbers have increased from 47 to 64, and we've taken on two new teachers with another to follow.

"It's also great not to have to apologise to the parents of prospective pupils about the building that they are being taught in."

With bigger and better equipped classrooms and a flat to help older children adapt to living in their own home, Mrs Wood reckons the pupil's behaviour has improved.

She said: "We've noticed a difference in their behaviour recently.

"The rooms are now big enough to give children their own space." The premises were built on the site of the former school's playground.

Work began last year after a consultation exercise was carried out by Durham County Council, and details sent to the Government to identify sources for funding the project.

Council leader, Councillor Don Robson, opened the school. He said: "The liaison which took place between the school and the authority is an example of the partnership approach which Durham County Council firmly believes in.

"The outcome of that partnership, this wonderful new school, is a marvellous facility which will benefit special needs children for many years to come.