PUPILS at Derby High School have spent the last few months dodging diggers and dust.

But any inconvenience caused by building work will be forgotten on Monday as the school's new sixth form and music centre opens its doors.

Parent and governor Michael Beardsley, who chaired the school's planning committee, said: "The breadth of music offered in the school has grown over the years and sixth-form numbers have also increased significantly.

"The governors wanted to create a resource which would enable both these areas to continue to thrive well into the 21st century."

The music centre will offer more practice rooms for senior pupils and will be used by junior pupils for music lessons and choir and drama groups.

The sixth-form centre was designed after consultation with pupils and has a state-of-the-art common room and study workstations.

A new library has also been created in the middle of the school in the area vacated by the previous sixth-form common room.

Younger pupils have not missed out because a library resource centre has been created for them.

The space has been designed with computer workstations set out in a zig-zag design to make it easier for everyone to see the interactive whiteboard during their computing lessons.

Head teacher Colin Callaghan said: "The start of this academic year has been more eagerly anticipated than usual because of the new buildings.

"It has been some time since the idea for the building was put forward, in 2003, with numerous plans drawn up and rejected. This building writes the opening page of the story of Derby High School in the 21st century.

"It will offer new opportunities for the staff and children, which will help both them and the school develop and grow."

Work in other city schools has also been taking place.

This includes window replacement at Markeaton Primary, St Giles, Pear Tree Junior, Moorhead Primary and St Chad's Infant schools.

There has also been roof work carried out at Nightingale Infant and St Martin's. Ashcroft Primary has been re-wired.

Work is also happening at Chellaston Infant (classroom extension); Park View Primary, (building the new Oakwood children's centre); Meadow Farm Primary (building Chaddesden children's centre) and Redwood Infants (nursery extension).

A city council spokesman said: "We've had a substantial amount of work ongoing over the summer, some of which is extending into the autumn term.

"From the feedback we've received from head teachers and school staff so far, most of them are extremely pleased with the improvements."

Across Derbyshire, there have also been a variety of building projects.

This term pupils at Alfreton Park Special School will benefit from a new £163,000 classroom and there are two new £150,000 classrooms at Hilton Primary School and a £725,000 classroom block at Risley Lower Grammar School.

The £5.1m Abercrombie Primary School has been built in Chesterfield and a £1.23m vocational centre at Glossopdale Community College.

Work starting this term includes a £1m hall and kitchen at Holbrook Primary School, a £400,000 classroom extension at Hilltop Infant School, in Ashbourne, and new accommodation at Lakeside pupil referral unit, in Long Eaton, costing £550,000.

Pupils will also find work still taking place on a variety of building schemes at Doveridge Primary; Queen Elizabeth Grammar School; Pottery Primary, Belper; Wilsthorpe College, Long Eaton and Woodville Junior. New secondaries at Bolsover School, Heritage School and Springwell are already under way.

On Wednesday, more than 2,000 Derby College students will start at the £48m newly-refurbished and rebuilt Roundhouse campus, in Pride Park.

The students will be taking courses in engineering, technology, hair and beauty, hospitality and creative arts.

The former Roundhouse, which dates back to 1839 and housed a turntable for rotating locomotives, is Grade II-listed and the whole site has taken just over two years to restore.

College vice-principal Nigel Gell said: "Wednesday will mark a new era for this site, which used to be the centre of Derby's railway industry."

Students returning to the University of Derby in a couple of weeks will find almost £1m of improvements to the Kedleston Road campus.

They include a new-look students' union, a new entrance and library revamp.

Ian Wilgoose, estates manager, said: "We will need to work flat-out to ensure these changes are completed before the students return."