The £500,000 theatre is now open and being used for expressive arts classes, assemblies and performances.

And gracing the magnificent new theatre is a £14,500 grand piano bought for the school by the Parents Network. Funds were raised from an auction of promises, and from a charity dinner arranged by the Friends of Hebden Bridge.

Work on the development of the theatre has been underway since the summer, and staff, students and visitors are now thrilled to have the venue open.

“It is a wonderful space for teaching, rehearsals and performance,” said head of expressive arts, Ms Jill Leicester. “We have a great tradition of performing arts here and this is a venue the students deserve.”

The cost of the project was met by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, and from various sources at Calderdale Council.

Head teacher Mr Stephen Ball said: “We are hugely indebted to Calderdale for the outstanding work and support from the buildings team, and for funding this project.”

He praised the architect, Mick Widdup, of Planet Architecture, for a “creative and visionary scheme”.

“Everyone who comes into the school from now on will be astonished at the transformation.”

Mr Ball was presented at a special assembly with a copy of the Letters of Ted Hughes by the head girl, May McQuade, on behalf of staff and students, for all his work in driving forward the project.

The school is developing a partnership with the Elmet Trust which is devoted to the work and memory of late Poet Laureate Ted Hughes who was born in Mytholmroyd, and there are plans to develop the entrance foyer as an exhibition area for Hughes’ memorabilia. One feature wall already carries a huge raised signature of Ted Hughes which will be the logo for the theatre, and for which permission was granted by his widow, Carol.

Sheila McAnulty, Chairwoman of The Elmet Trust, said: “When I saw the signature of Ted Hughes on the wall outside the new CHS theatre I felt a shiver run up my spine. Then when I walked into the theatre itself and saw a brand new, amazing, state-of-the-art performance space I was absolutely thrilled. What a fantastic venue!

“This is a unique resource in Mytholmroyd and will be a great place to stage school productions, community plays and professional shows and concerts..”

The Elmet Trust is hoping to hold some of the major events of the 2008 Ted Hughes Festival (October 22 to 28) there. “We are pleased to announce that we already have Andrew Motion, Frieda Hughes, John Siddique and Lemn Sissay lined up to appear,” said Sheila.

“For me, whose love of theatre was sown at CHS in the 1960s when I was a student there, The Ted Hughes Theatre is like a dream come true.”