THE Mayor of Kidderminster was on hand to officially open a school's newly extended sixth form centre recently.

Councillor Mary Rayner and guest of honour Dr Nicholas Tate joined students and staff at Holy Trinity School, in Birmingham Road, for the opening of the 'Tate Suite'.

Joined by the chair of governors, Susan Marlow, and school headteacher, Pamela Leek-Wright, Cllr Rayner and Dr Tate each gave a short address at the event on Thursday, September 22.

Mrs Leek-Wright said: "We are extremely privileged to have the on-going support of someone with the experience and depth of understanding that Dr Tate has.

"His passion for education is always a good reminder of what teaching is truly about and it seemed only fitting that we named our new sixth form suite after him in acknowledgement of the support he has shown and continues to show for Holy Trinity School."

Dr Tate added: "I was very happy to be able to work with Holy Trinity to help in the transition from independent to free school and to ensure that 100-plus years educational traditional, previously available only to those who could afford the fees, was now open to all.

"Revisiting the school two years after it re-opened as a free school, I am impressed with how it is going from strength to strength - excellent SAT and GCSE results, extensive physical refurbishment, an expanding sixth form and now this attractive sixth form suite of rooms with which I am honoured to be associated."