ELMS Bank High School is to receive more than £700,000 to build three new classrooms and bring it up to modern standards.

The good news was revealed this week in an announcement by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).

The school, in Ripon Avenue, Whitefield, is the only one in the borough that caters for secondary school age children with disabilities.

Headteacher Lynn Lines said: "We are absolutely delighted. This was a re-submitted bid. We applied last year but were unsuccessful so to get the money awarded this year is fantastic."

Paul Cooke, head of schools planning and management, said: "The school was never designed to cater for its current needs and was in serious need of an upgrade.

"It is too early to say in any great detail what improvements will be made. That is something we will be discussing with the school, but doorways will be widened for wheelchair use and there will be other adaptations with, possibly, new classrooms."

Ms Lines confirmed that the school, which has 147 pupils on roll, would be making alterations to accommodate pupils with large electric wheelchairs.