A �2.6 million refurbishment and extension of a secondary school for pupils with special educational needs has been completed.

Ian Mikardo School in Bromley-by-Bow which caters for boys aged 11-16 with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties is one of the first schools to get a revamp under Tower Hamlets’ �?300 million government-funded Building Schools for the Future programme.

In seven years the school in Talwin Street has been turned around from one in ‘special measures’ to achieving an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted report.

One of the schools’ original buildings was demolished and replaced with a new wing and sports hall, while the remaining shell was refurbished.

The design concept was based on separating quiet classroom spaces from more active learning and social areas.

The ground floor of the two-story building includes a reception, dining hall, and classrooms, as well as sports facilities and hair salon accessible to residents.

Studies requiring a high level of concentration, such as numeracy and music, are located on the first floor.

A ‘My Passport’ studio flat will help students learn domestic skills for the outside world. There are also rooms for psychotherapy, a family learning mentor and adult training.

Each area is colour coded with a vibrant palette aimed at crating an uplifting environment and reducing the amount of signage.

Head Teacher, Claire Lillis said: “The success of the project was down to the close consultation we had with the design team throughout the project. We are delighted with the final outcome!”

Langdon Park School in Poplar, Stepney Green Mathematics and Computing College, Central Foundation School for Girls and Phoenix School, both in Bow, are now set for a make-over after construction group Bouygues won a contract worth �61.5m with Tower Hamlets to carry out building and refurbishment work.

It brings the number of schools in the borough undergoing regeneration as part of the Building School for the Future programme, introduced by the last government, to 17.

Harpley School in Globe Town which welcomed students to new facilities this Month was the fourth school to be renovated after Bethnal Green Technology College, St Paul’s Way Trust School and Ian Mikardo.