PUPILS at a comprehensive got a look at the sort of facilities they might soon have if a shake-up of education in Blaenau Gwent schools gets the go-ahead.

School council members at Ebbw Vale Comprehensive last week visited The Works site and newly-built Newport High School in Bettws to see some of the modern facilities they could have at a new school being proposed by the council.

Following an informal consultation, the authority last month proposed to close four schools and a sixth form and to create a primary school, secondary school and sole sixth form for the county borough at The Works in Ebbw Vale - which is being formally consulted upon until August.

Yesterday, we revealed that the headteachers of five secondary schools involved have major concerns about the consultation process on the future of sixth form education in the county borough.

But Ebbw Vale Comprehensive’s school council said it was excited by the proposals for a new secondary on The Works site.

Pupils say their current building is not up to scratch and the new school will provide a better range of courses, improved technology and the opportunity to meet new classmates and teachers.

Courtney Curtis, 13, said: "I really want to have a new school because our’s is old and seeing Newport High made us want what they’ve got."

Adam King, 15, said the plans would boost Blaenau Gwent, which is often viewed as a deprived area, and be at the heart of a new community at The Works.

"Some of our walls and ceilings have leaks because the building’s so old so it will be a really good thing to move," he added.

Assistant headteacher Georgina Davidson said the school's staff were just as excited as the children at the prospect of moving.

"It will be the most ridiculous decision if Blaenau Gwent misses out on this opportunity, we're grabbing it with both hands," she said.

Vice-chairwoman of governors, Jen Morgan, said she was pleased the pupils had taken a positive attitude.

"I was very impressed they wanted to take positive action by going to look round Newport High School, rather than being negative.

"Of course we all want to save our schools, but we have to look to the future."

As part of its consultation, the council is currently taking pupils on tours of The Works, holding workshops with them to discuss their ideas, carrying out street surveys and meeting school councils, staff and governors.

The proposals

OPTION 1 Closure of Waunlwyd and Pontygof primary schools and Ebbw Vale and Glyncoed comprehensive schools; second stage - change the age range of Brynmawr and Tredegar secondary schools to 11-16, and, if Ebbw Vale and Glyncoed were not to close, also make these 11-16.

OPTION 2 Relocate Pen-y-Cwm special school to The Works site by August 2012, in a new facility for around 120 pupils.

OPTION 3 First stage - Develop a three-16 school at The Works, primary by September 2012, secondary by September 2013. The primary part would be for around 420 pupils, the secondary part for around 1,100.

Stage two - develop an integrated children's centre linked to the new primary facility.

OPTION 4 Set up a new sixth form facility, developed by an independent provider.