A foundation stone at a city school undergoing a £13 million makeover has been blessed in a special ceremony.
Work to rebuild parts of English Martyrs School, in Beaumont Leys, began in March and should be complete by next summer.
It is part of Leicester City Council's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme to rebuild every secondary in the city.
Faith leaders from the Catholic diocese attended the ceremony yesterday, along with education bosses from the city council.
The stone will be put up in the school's new reception area once work is complete.
Head teacher Marius Carney said it was an "auspicious moment" and welcomed the new build with much excitement.
He said: "The new all-weather sports pitch, made from rtificial turf to meet international standards, will be a huge asset to the school.
"We hope that the community will use it and Leicester Ladies Hockey Club has shown a keen interest in its planning and potential use.
"Another key development for the site will be the addition of a 400-seat auditorium which, for a school with a performing arts specialism, will really add to what we do here in terms of technical facilities.
"It will have fantastic new lighting, modelled on the Royal Shakespeare Company's, which we were lucky enough to be given a tour of and we'll also be getting a new pipe organ.
"In addition, the sixth formers will be getting their own common room and study areas, which is vital as it's one part of the school which is growing in size."
The school, which is among the top performing in the city, will also be getting rid of its mobile classrooms once work is finished.
"All students will be in fully functioning classrooms, which is what they deserve," Mr Carney said.
Pupils Ievan Cox, and Jack Murphy, both 17, have the project the thumbs up.
Ievan said: "The sports pitch will be amazing and something the school really needs because it just hasn't got the space at the moment."
Jack said: "Getting rid of the mobiles will be a real step forward. In the summer they are boiling hot and in the winter they're far too cold.
"I just wish we were here longer ourselves to make use of them, but I'm sure future students will appreciate it."
Councillor Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor for schools, said: "This is the next chapter in the life of English Martyrs, which is going to be full of outstanding facilities and an even greater teaching and learning environment.
"This school already has strong foundations in terms of the respectful relationships between staff and students, who I'm sure will make the very best of their new school."
