A NEW, purpose-built physiotherapy room at Flint High School that will enable a group of students to access the care they need with minimum disruption to their school day has been officially opened.

The project took 10 weeks to complete and was funded by Flintshire County Council and The Equality Act schools' group, who assess and determine needs based on access requirements to ensure individuals are not disadvantaged.

Completed in time for the start of the new academic year, the new facility allows a team of staff to carry out the much-needed physiotherapy exercises that the students require as part of their weekly regime.

Staff members Deborah Robinson, teaching assistant and physiotherapy coordinator, and fellow teaching assistants Rachel Mcglashan, Linda Holden and Tanya Tew, have been instructed by the community physiotherapist about what exercises are required and how to carry these out.

Mrs Robinson said: "This is a unique build in a mainstream school that will provide students with the appropriate space and privacy for their sessions. Students can now do their physio in a lovely purpose-built room with lots of new equipment rather than in a spare available area. The visiting physiotherapists and trained staff members use the room on a regular basis to review the physio programmes for individual students.

"We are thrilled to have this fantastic facility which will be a huge benefit to our students."

Jim Connelly, headteacher, said: "We are committed to ensuring all our students receive the care and support they need to achieve well at school, and it is crucial that students who have a disability or special educational needs are treated equally.

"Our new physio room will enhance our provision for any students with a physical disability and we are delighted to have such an amazing facility within the school.

"I would like to thank everyone involved with the project and particularly our staff who have worked hard to make this possible."