And in a separate "bonus scheme" a capital grant of £200,000 has been made available to expand the school's dining facilities.

Money for the sixth form development has come from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) which will see a much needed addition for the students.

A spokesman for the school said: "The new building will complement the existing facilities, giving the opportunity to further develop the curriculum offer to meet the needs of all students."

The sixth form development is set to provide modern, flexible accommodation including seven teaching rooms, and a larger practical teaching area which can be divided into two smaller areas. A modern fully-equipped lecture theatre will also be provided.

Expansion

The development will mean removal of unsuitable temporary accommodation and at least 24 new parking spaces will be created in a bid to ease congestion and the current shortage of parking facilities.

Meanwhile the £200,000 capital grant has been made available from North Yorkshire County Council for expansion of the school's dining facilities, currently said by the school to be inadequate for the numbers of students wanting a school meal.

The school spokesman added: "It is envisaged that the expanded dining room will be ready for the new academic year in September and that the sixth form building will be completed by Easter 2010."

The school says "without doubt" the two projects will be of great benefit to pupils and staff, helping to provide modern surroundings and facilities further enhancing teaching and learning.

Growing intake

Headteacher Richard Sheriff said: "This is wonderful news for the school, our education partners and the community. We are committed to providing a world class education for our young people and this facility will help us to achieve our ambitions."

Liz Burdett, area director for the LSC across North Yorkshire commented:

"Demand for the new sixth form building has evolved over a number of years, reflecting the growing intake from the local community.

"It will be a landmark for providing outstanding and well-equipped facilities, bringing exciting new opportunities for students, employers and the Harrogate community.

"This facility will be particularly suitable for the school to develop its curriculum offer, alongside that offered by other schools and the college as part of local partnership and collaborative working," said the LSC area director.