Warwick Academy yesterday opened its new Sixth Form Centre thanks to a substantial donation from philanthropist David Barber.

With a $400,000 contribution, Mr. Barber was dubbed a "guardian angel" by chairman of the school's board of Governors, Senator Walwyn Hughes.

The newly renamed David and Mary Barber Hall fittingly bears the name of Mr. Barber and his late wife Mary.

With a bright smile and an enthusiastic thumbs up to students, Mr. Barber opened the centre at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

"I am very pleased that the project was undertaken with speed and just six months onward we can enjoy the results.

"I know that this investment is in safe hands," Mr. Barber said.

"It is with a great deal of pleasure that I have the opportunity to look on a building that will have a real and significant impact on Bermuda.

"Out of these walls and this building will emerge some of the most gifted and talented students that this land has to offer. They will undoubtedly return to make significant contributions to their country."

Formerly Cambrae Hall, the building is located on the hill on the Northeast side of the main school and with about 2,500 square feet of space.

The facility has doubled in size. It includes a two-storey addition with two new classrooms, a new resource room, locker area, an expanded common room with additional bathrooms and office space.

The increased building size allows enrolment to almost double from 34 students to 75.

Course of studies offered will include the University of Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), preparation for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT's) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme.

Senator Hughes said that over the course of seven years, the building had turned from what was a five apartment complex into "a far more elaborate, far more modern" home for the Sixth Form which has been operating there for just over three years.

"The alternative was to add on, but as always the problem was in funding," said Mr. Hughes. "At that point, that's when our guardian angel came on the scene."