PORTISHEAD’S flourishing secondary school has secured funding to improve and expand its sporting facilities .

The Education Funding Authority has contributed £850,000 for the building of a second sports hall at Gordano School. A planning application is expected to be submitted to North Somerset Council later this month.

The hall, which will be built alongside the existing facility, will comprise four badminton courts, doubling the floor space for indoor activities in the sports centre complex at the St Marys Road school.

It will also include a fitness suite with gym equipment and changing facilities.

If the planning application is successful, work is expected to start in late September and take six to eight months to complete.

Emma Rose, head of PE, said: “We are confident that our plans for the sports hall and fitness suite will significantly enhance the service provided by Gordano School, not only for the 1,900 students but also for the wider community in Portishead, while not negatively impacting on the environment of the school site.”

Despite Government cutbacks in public spending across the nation, Gordano School has been fortunate enough to gain funding for a number of projects to improve and expand the school. A new state-of-the-art sixth form centre opened in September 2012 and work is also about to start on re-roofing the creative arts and science blocks.

Detailed plans for the proposed new sports hall are expected to be posted on the Gordano School website later this week.