Chancellor Gordon Brown has officially opened a �19m private finance initiative (PFI) school in Derbyshire. The Long Eaton School is being run by Derbyshire County Council under a 26-year contract with private sector firm Babcock and Brown.
The 1,210-pupil school will be owned by the county council at the end of the PFI contract.
The school, which opened to students in February, has 10 spaces for pupils with special educational needs.
Drama and IT
Mr Brown said: "We have to do more for school pupils - in literacy and primary schools and in standards in secondary schools - to make sure pupils stay in education and training.
"We have to make sure young people get the qualifications for the future ... to hold down jobs.
The 30-classroom school was built at the same time as Newbold Community School in Chesterfield under a joint �37m PFI scheme.
It has a drama studio, three art rooms, two music rooms, four computer rooms and a library.
A footbridge enabling pupils to reach the school and an adult community education centre has also been built as part of the project.
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