New era for BBG Academy

The opening is the culmination of a huge campaign by parents and local community for a high school to serve the Birstall, Birkenshaw and Gomersal areas.

Dr Kate Granger will perform the opening ceremony at the BBG Academy – formerly Birkenshaw High School – this morning, and this afternoon the school will be open to the local community and parents who want to look around.

Principal Jo-anne Atkinson said it was a great day for the school.

“As well as having the official celebrations, we also felt it was important to involve the local community because they have been so supportive,” she said. “People have watched the building work take place with interest, and taken pictures of its progress, so now they can come and have a look inside.”

The morning’s events include presentations, tours of the building and speeches, and the plaque will be unvieled around 11am. The open afternoon for the community is from 1.30pm-3pm.

Dr Granger is a senior doctor at Pinderfields and has been honoured in the Yorkshire Woman of Achievement and Woman of Courage awards. She has a rare form of cancer and has published two books about her experiences of going from doctor to patient and how it feels to be terminally ill. She is receiving treatment at the Yorkshire Cancer Centre based at St James’ Hospital and has raised over £60,000 for the centre, which will be BBG Academy’s chosen charity this year.

lThe school’s open evening for prospective parents is on Thursday from 4pm-7pm.