Page "Bideford" Paragraph 27

Bideford College has approximately 1, 650 pupils all of whom are in Years 7 to 11 plus sixth form, and is led by Principal, Ms Veronica Mathews, is the only local community secondary state school in Bideford.

The college was granted specialist science status in 2004.

Because of its specialist status, it receives extra funding from the government for extending its wide variety of educational activities.

It is currently undergoing a £ 55 million project, £ 32 million of which was funded from the Building Schools for the Future ( BSF ) programme, to build a new school on its existing site.

The building works will be completed during the summer of 2010 and students will move in at the start of term in September *.

Figures published by the UK Government in February 2008, show Bideford College had made significant improvements in the Key Stage 3 exams taken by 14 year old students.

Over the previous four years ( 2004 to 2007 ) the school ’ s aggregate score for the exams in English, Maths and Science has risen from 177 out of 300 to 237.