A SOUTHAMPTON school has been praised after it became a vaccine training centre.

King Edward VI School in Shirley is providing it's facilities to St John Ambulance as they play a 'critical role' in the pandemic.

The operation has been planned to last ten weeks in total and in that time, around 2,000 volunteers are set to be trained to carry out vaccinations in Southampton and surrounding areas.

The service is operating just at weekends, training around 100 people a day since it started on January 23.

MP for Southampton Itchen, Royston Smith praised the new project.

He said: "St John Ambulance is doing a remarkable job.

"They've been helping throughout the pandemic and the latest initiative to train people up is highly commendable and we're very pleased to have all the help we can get.

"It's good to see schools and other institutions stepping up when we all need to come together to defeat a common enemy.

"We're very grateful to have the school and have any help they can offer."

All Covid-19 safety measures are said to have been taken in making the training possible, and it is operating out of four large rooms around the campus to allow enough room for appropriate social distancing.

This comes after the school DT department used its facilities to supply PPE and Scrubs to Southampton Children’s Hospital and Hedge End Medical Centre in the first national lockdown.

King Edward VI School where over 1,300 11-18-year-olds normally attend, is the oldest school in Southampton, with a history stretching back over 460 years.

It is also said to be a "vibrant, modern institution and community hub" which the school says is demonstrated through this latest partnership.