THOUSANDS of children are settling in to new classrooms as the transformation of Bristol's secondary schools nears completion.

All 20 have been rebuilt or refurbished over the past few years, making the city's school buildings second to none.

The finishing touches are being made to the final six, being revamped in a £100 million scheme under the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Fortunately for students, staff and governors, all were well under way before the coalition Government ended the construction programme.

St Bede's Catholic College and Ashton Park School have both seen major new teaching blocks open this term, while St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School is celebrating the completion of the fifth and final stage of its refurbishment.

New buildings were opened at Cotham School and Knowle DGE (formerly Florence Brown Community School) earlier in the summer and St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School is ready to start in its new building in November.

Four other schools were rebuilt under the first BSF programme in Bristol: Bristol Brunel Academy, Bristol Metropolitan College, Bridge Learning Campus and Brislington Enterprise College.

Four schools were rebuilt under the Private Finance Initiative – Oasis Brightstowe, Orchard School, Henbury School and Bedminster Down School – while the city rebuilt Fairfield and built the new Redland Green School.

Schemes funded by the Labour Government including private sponsorship brought new buildings for City Academy and Merchants' Academy and, just this month, Oasis Academy John Williams.

And the two independent schools that joined the state system as academies, Colston's Girls' School and Bristol Cathedral Choir School, are being given multi-million facelifts, including new blocks and revamped existing facilities.

At St Bede's in Lawrence Weston, principal Catherine Hughes is thrilled with the new two-storey block for art, design and technology, music and drama and the new sports facilities, as well as other improvements.

"We are absolutely delighted," she said.

"Now the challenge is to demonstrate that the investment has been worth it by continuing to improve our results."

Chris Gardner, head at Ashton Park, said: "This new building has transformed the environment in which students and staff now work. Set against the backcloth of Ashton Court estate, it is simply a stunning building in a wonderful location. Our examination results have risen year on year over the past seven years and this building will give us every opportunity to improve them still further."

Senior prefects proudly escorting us around the new building commented: "It makes you feel more mature with such a modern design, excellent ICT equipment and a wonderful student social area. We are sure our year group will beat last year's GCSE scores. This building makes you want to study harder."

Basia McLaughlin, head at St Bernadette, said: "The reaction of staff and children coming back after the holidays and seeing the new blocks completed has been fantastic."

The final phase includes new classrooms for maths, languages and RE, new IT rooms, and new chapel and a revamped entrance.

At Cotham, work is continuing on revamping the original school building while at Knowle DGE a hostel has been completed.

St Mary Redcliffe and Temple is looking forward to its move at half term.

Head teacher Elisabeth Gilpin said: "It always amazes me that my staff are able to get such great results in such cramped facilities – I am looking forward to helping them explore all the new possibilities for future learning and great achievement in our new buildings."

Colston's Girls' School has seen an extensive refurbishment of the main school building and Dolphin Blocks including new science and ICT departments, which have benefited from an investment of £300,000 worth of new computers in time for the new academic year and work has begun on a new music block, art block and student entrance.

Principal Lesley Ann Jones said: "The work that is taking place will create a new teaching environment and will help us maintain our excellent teaching standards".

Bristol Cathedral Choir School pupils will return on Monday to find a new main entrance, following the construction of a footpath leading to the revamped Deanery building. Other work completed during the holidays includes refurbishment of the science department and the humanities areas, the installation of new ICT equipment, and the external decoration of the Abbey House building.

The school already has two new blocks – Rectory and Parsonage – open and work on a third is under way.