AROUND half a million pounds worth of investment during the summer holidays has changed the face of Tavistock College this summer. Staff and students last week returned to new-look facilities ? and a completely new timetable. Gone are many of the congested corridors, a tatty reception area and inadequate resources for student services. In have come £250,000 of redevelopments and refurbishments and a further quarter of a million pounds worth of investment in IT facilities. Colin Eves, college principal, said: ?There was never enough space for staff and students in many areas. We have improved access and created a large amount of extra space, to avoid the awful congestion and make it more comfortable and safer as well for everyone. ?In the improved concourse there will be space for at least 150 students to sit down, the Ndeeba Room has been improved and there?s space for more than 150 in there. Along with that, in excess of 200 students are now able to eat in the refectory at any one time. Even in bad weather, there is considerably more space for students indoors now.? The college refectory has been completely redecorated and refurbished and the Harlequins diner has been re-opened. Mr Eves said: ?This coincides with the new regulations about school meals ? although to Tavistock College, that has made very little difference as the quality of food and range of healthy options was previously so good anyway.? Visitors to the college now make their way into a spacious, smart and airy reception area, out of bounds to the students, who previously used it as a thoroughfare. ?It?s far more welcoming to visitors now,? said Mr Eves. ?The students now have their own student support reception area, so all their needs throughout the day can be met from one point. We also have a larger team of support staff to help them, who have been accommodated in a considerably enlarged and refurbished office. ?The whole rationale is to provide a better service for the students ? but we are also providing a more welcoming atmosphere and a more manageable working environment for the staff,? said Mr Eves. IT facilities have been improved, with more data projectors, better staff equipment and a new IT room for students. The other big change at the college is within the timetable, which now comprises 50 one-hour lessons over a two week period. Mr Eves said: ?This has enabled us to build in movement time between lessons. It?s such a big site, the students need time to be able to get from one place to another and now it won?t eat into lesson time. ?Overall, the staff felt that one hour lessons would be better for concentrated learning ? previously they were 50 minutes but you lost time for movement and there were more interruptions to lessons.? In addition, new arrangements for GCSE students had created a better range of choices more suited to their needs. There are new faces at the college this term too ? 15 members of teaching and support staff have been welcomed to the school.