King’s Manor. Boundstone. Littlehampton - the South Coast Academies?
Posted by Ricky in Opinion under on Sep 07 2007
Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday formally opened Bristol Brunel Academy, the first brand new school built under Building Schools for the Future (BSF) - the government’s flagship capital investment programme to transform education by rebuilding or renewing every state secondary school in England.
Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years. The aim is to rebuild or renew every one of England′s 3,500 state secondary schools during the lifetime of the programme.
Through BSF, Local Authorities select a private sector partner to work with on an exclusive basis to rebuild or renew their schools. Many Local Authorities are now beginning to recognise the flexibility of this model that enables them to deliver wider local investments, such as primary schools, healthcare, housing and whole regeneration strategies. These wider investment opportunities within Local Authority areas offered through BSF also introduce a strong commercial imperative that drives private sector performance on flexibility, value for money and fees.
The Woodard Corporation, an extrememly experienced and highly performing education trust running schools in both the maintained and independant sector, in partnership the the Children & Young People’s Services and with our three community colleges, King’s Manor, Boundstone, and Littlehampton has agreed to act as
sponsor for all three schools and has worked with them and to develop ‘Expressions of Interest’ (our formal proposals) for consideration by ministers.
The Future is Here
With state-of-the-art ICT facilities, and building on links with the local area by offering dual school/community use of leisure facilities, the £24m school provides a 21st Century learning environment which will help engage and inspire young people, helping them unlock their talent and realise their full potential.
Pupils and teachers of Bristol Brunel Academy have contributed to the design of the school, including suggesting features that would help reduce bullying and anti-social behaviours. In the design and construction of the school, there has also been a strong focus on sustainability to help reduce the carbon footprint of the school. The whole school is a wi-fi zone. It features independent learning areas and uses biomass boilers to provide about 80% of its energy. It really is a school of the future.
