A £12m school, the first be built in Newport for 32 years, will officially open tomorrow.

A ceremony at St Joseph's RC High School in Newport will be attended by the minister for education and lifelong learning, Jane Davidson; the Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff, the Most Rev Peter Smith, and senior figures in education and local politics.

Building work on the new school in Pencarn Way, Duffryn, started in May 2003 after the decision to build a replacement school was made when water was found to have penetrated the existing building.

A study recommended that building new premises rather than repairing the old building was the best way forward.

The school is the first to be built in Newport for 32 years, with state-of-the-art facilities for teachers and pupils and is the largest investment of its kind supported by the Assembly administration.

It boasts five ICT suites equipped with more than 140 work stations, wireless mobile laptops, two drama studios, sports halls, gymnasium, science laboratories and technology suites.

The school is the culmination of a partnership between the Archdiocese of Cardiff, Newport city council and the Welsh Assembly.

Jane Davidson said: "This is an excellent example of partnership in working together to secure a better future for our children and this is a step towards our goal that all school buildings in Wales should be in good physical condition and properly maintained by 2010."

Head teacher Sue Jenkins said the opening was exciting for staff and pupils, adding: "This is an exciting time in the long history of the school and congratulations to everyone involved in the design and building and not least of all the students and staff."