A rock star helped a school to celebrate its £10million facelift.

Jonny Quinn, drummer with Snow Patrol, was at Mount Carmel School in Duncombe Road, Archway, to join celebrations marking the refurbishment as part of Islington’s £140million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

The musician, along with The Voice contestant Bo Bruce and children’s author Candy Gourlay, spoke at the gala event.

‘Brilliant’

Paul Kehoe, headteacher at the school, said: “We are delighted with the facilities and space which the refurbishment has created.

“It has given the whole community an added vibrancy and combined with our best ever GCSE results in August this year, the college will continue to flourish and achieve new heights.”

Cllr Greg Foxsmith, who represents Hillrise Ward where the school is located, said: “The new building is brilliant, something I have been supporting since 2008 and it’s great to see it finished.

“I was extremely impressed with the behaviour of the pupils – I remember when I was at school and we had visitors we would all be acting up and being a nuisance.”

Guests were given a tour of the school and entertained with performances from the school choir.

Highlights of the refurbishment include a welcoming and new-look entrance hall, refurbished classrooms and science labs, a fitness suite and new lifts making the whole school wheelchair accessible.

Cllr Richard Watts, leader of Islington Council, said: “The investment in world class new buildings and facilities in Islington’s secondary schools is helping all our students to reach their potential.

“Ofsted tell us our schools are already among the best in the country.

“It’s been clear to anyone visiting Mount Carmel what a difference the improvement works have made to the schools and how much students and staff are already benefiting from better facilities.”

A total of nine borough secondary schools have received new or remodelled buildings through BSF.

The other eight are Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, Donegal Street; Highbury Fields School, Highbury Hill; Highbury Grove School, Highbury Grove; Holloway School, Hilldrop Road; Islington Arts and Media School, Turle Road, New River College Pupil Referral Unit, Dowrey Street; Samuel Rhodes Secondary School, Highbury New Park; and St Aloysius College, Hornsey Lane.