Construction of new fitness centre

Dancers and athletes will be kept on their toes as a North East school boosts its sporting facilities. Work is well under way constructing a new fitness centre, dance studio and cricket facility at Barnard Castle School.
The two-storey building will boast a sprung floor dance studio, weights room and fitness centre, complete with showers and changing rooms. It will also be a cricket pavilion with electronic scoreboard that can be changed remotely from the boundary and a viewing balcony.
Construction work is expected to be finished by the end of the summer term. It will then be kitted out over the summer holidays in time for the start of term in September.
Barnard Castle School has a reputation for turning out world class athletes with many former pupils representing their country in a variety of disciplines.
Deputy headmaster Oliver Marlow said: “Our girls and boys already show an amazing amount of talent and commitment in their chosen fields and the new facility is a vote of confidence in them by the governors. It is an important part of the school ethos to produce students who are happy and rounded, who can achieve their full potential academically and physically and the new centre can only help.”
Sixth former Jane Larcombe, 18, of Sedgefield, has been dancing ballet since she was three years old. She said: “The new sprung dance floor will provide a fantastic opportunity for students to learn the intricacies and pleasures of a full range of dance disciplines. It will be amazing.”
Second row forward in Barnard Castle School’s first XV rugby side Oscar Moore, 17, of Finghall, near Bedale agreed. “Even at schoolboy level rugby is incredibly competitive and you have to be at your peak all the time,” he said. “The new centre will help players achieve and sustain the physical fitness they need to compete at the highest level and go in to professional sport if they want to.”