THE identity of a new £31m super school in a former mining town has been unveiled at an official launch.

Students attending North Durham Academy, which opens in September, will wear purple blazers with a light grey v-neck jumper and black trousers.

The formal attire will replace the more casual polo shirts currently worn by pupils of Greencroft Business and Enterprise Community School and Stanley School of Technology.

Aidan Donnelly, 14, who goes to Stanley School of Technology, said: “I like the new uniform. The colours are quirky and unusual and it will go well with our new school and image.”

Steph Kenna, 14, from Annfield Palin, who goes to Greencroft, said: “It looks smart and we will look good and we will have the attitude to go with it.”

The existing schools are being replaced by the new academy, but the sites are being upgraded over the summer and will be used until a brand new building is ready in 2013.

The Kings Head Playing Fields, near Stanley town centre, has been earmarked for the development.

A planning application has been submitted and is awaiting approval by Durham County Council.

The new school will accommodate 1,700 pupils and will have a hair and beauty salon, a motor vehicle workshop, two drama studios a music recording studio and ICT suites throughout.

There will be social areas in the corridors for students to use and cafes and sandwich bars, rather than a traditional dining hall.

Outdoors, there will be a state-of-the-art artificial football pitch, running track and sports fields as well as a multi use games area.

Principal designate David Thornton, the former headteacher of Farringdon Community Sports College in Sunderland, said academy’s ethos will be Inclusion, Progression and Excellence.

Mr Thornton said: “We aspire to be the very best, but to be successful you need everybody to pull together to make us part of the community.

“There isn’t any reason why every student who attends cannot fulfil their potential.”

The academy was launched at New College Durham, which is sponsoring the project along with Durham County Council along with its logo, which features blue, purple and silver leaf leaves, representing growth.

New College’s principal and chief executive John Widdowson said: “Our intention is to provide the highest quality teaching and learning, providing leadership and helping students to achieve to the very best of their abilities.”

For more information about North Durham Academy go to www.northdurhamacademy.co.uk