AT JUST 25, she is in demand at the world's top ballet houses, holds an OBE and has been compared to Margot Fonteyn.

Darcey Bussell is the perfect role model for aspiring young dancers, so Southampton head teacher Richard Hilary contacted her to ask if he could name the Chamberlayne Park Secondary School's £750,000 new performing arts centre after her.

And Mr Hilary was amazed when the Royal Ballet Company's principal ballerina not only agreed but also offered to take time out from her exhausting schedule to open it herself.

The Darcey Bussell Arts Centre has been more than a year in the making and is part of a major expansion programme at the Weston school that saw a new science block opened last year by TV astronomer Patrick Moore.

It features two large performance spaces - each with a sprung floor, floor-to-ceiling mirrors and dance rails to provide young dancers with a rehearsal space of professional standard.

There are also four music practice rooms, an ensemble room, a control room for budding theatre technicians, storage facilities, changing rooms and a spacious entrance lobby.

Darcey, who is currently on her summer break, will officially open the new centre on September 8, before returning to a full season at the Royal Opera House that starts in October with Swan Lake.

Speaking as she left for her holidays, she said: "I am thrilled and flattered that the new music, dance and drama department at Chamberlayne Park School is to be named after me.

"I am looking forward to visiting the school to officially open the building and hope it will be a source of enjoyment and inspiration to all the students who use the facility.

"It is vital to the future of the arts that young people are given the opportunity to explore their potential and can be given practical training and advice at a centre like this one.

"Whether it is for enjoyment or the pursuit of a career, an early introduction to music, dance and drama is a positive step."

Mr Hilary said: "Her visit will encourage our students to discover why she is an international celebrity and what she has had to do to achieve her success and will heighten their expectations and enthusiasm for dance. This new performing arts centre will enable us for the first time to teach a full expressive performing arts programme - including dance.

"A specialist dance teacher is starting in September and every child in years seven and eight will have specific dance lessons - both boys and girls. It will also be an option for GCSE students.'

City councillors agreed in June that Chamberlayne Park can increase its roll of pupils from 642 to 1,050 to cope with a population increase in the east of Southampton.Work on new classroom blocks providing 300 extra places will begin in January.

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