Principal of Tavistock College Tristan Muller-Forster said this week that a revamp for the college as part of the Government’s School Rebuilding Programme was 'long overdue' and 'very much needed'

He told the Times the work would form part of a bigger plan to build back the strength of the college following its inadequate rating by Ofsted in the autumn.

He said: ‘All of us at Tavistock College are delighted with the news that we will be part of the DfE’s new builds for schools programme.

‘Most of our buildings are in a terrible state, some of which are condemned. We currently have 12 classrooms out of use due to the buildings being in such a poor state that we simply can’t allow students or staff inside them.

‘We are hopeful that this programme of rebuilding will enable us to modernise our learning environments and enable our students to take real pride in their school, something that the current learning environments do not enable.

‘This process is about much more than new classrooms, it’s about building back the strength of the college within the community it serves and will provide this along with the work we are doing with our academy improvement plan will enable us to go from strength to strength.

‘I would like to thank all those who have worked so hard on this bidding process and those who have canvased to improve the learning environment of our communities’ young people.’

During his visit to Tavistock College in the summer, Sir Geoffrey Cox was shown the poor state of some of the school buildings estate, spoke to teachers about the problems it caused them, and promised the new principal, Tristan Muller-Forster, that he would immediately take up the issue with the Government in support of the college’s bid for assistance.

The MP sent photographs he took of the school to the Secretary of State and urged the Government to provide the money for refurbishment and rebuilding at the school.

Sir Geoffrey Cox said: ‘During my visit in the summer, I was angered by the shameful condition of some of the buildings at Tavistock College in which the students and staff are having to manage.

‘I wrote bluntly to the then Secretary of State and spoke to him and other ministers showing them the photographs I had taken. Our pupils deserve better, and I am very pleased for everyone at Tavistock College, and for our community, that the Secretary of State has now written to me to say the college’s bid has been successful and it will be included in this major school rebuilding programme.’

Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust CEO Dan Morrow said: ‘We are delighted that we have secured the support to take Tavistock College into a new and exciting era with an investment in the buildings which is long overdue.

‘The significant improvements we have seen in the performance of the college will be accelerated with state of the art facilities which give the young people and community the resources they so richly deserve to thrive and excel.’

Delivery of many of the 161 projects in the first phase of the project are already underway, bringing transformational new buildings to communities up and down the country and making a significant contribution to the Government’s levelling up agenda.

The second phase of the programme, in which Tavistock College is now included and also Callington Community College, will commence next year, and the projects will launch at the rate of approximately 50 a year over the next four years.

In the Times last week college leaders expressed their ‘total commitment’ to ensuring the college is the best it can be as improvements continue to be made following the ‘inadequate’ rating from Ofsted in the autumn.

They said a new ‘academy improvement plan’ would be launched in January and this would be discussed with parents at a community meeting on January 26.

The Ofsted report revealed, after a visit by inspectors in the summer, that the the day-to-day life of the school was disrupted by poor behaviour and bullying was rife.

It was critical of leadership and management and said children did not feel safe in school.

The quality of education ‘required improvement’ and the overall rating was ‘inadequate’. Inspectors were, however, impressed with the sixth form provision which received a ‘good’ rating.