Facilities

• There will be science labs for investigation and experimentation, with clearly defined areas for demonstration by both learners and staff. Each science lab will contain a demonstration area where groups of students can gather round and all be able to see and interact with other learners or teacher leading the learning. There will also be appropriate space for the recording of data and reflections on work.

• A research and development space will enable small groups of learners, particularly those who are gifted or post 16, to work on specific projects, and a viewing area to maintain high levels of visibility. This area will also be used by visitors from industry or Higher Education and will have a staff training and development function.

• An eco-dome will be located in close proximity to the science internal spaces. It will provide a visible landmark on the Academy site demonstrating the specialism of the Environmental Sciences.

• The arts will be located on the top floor of the specialist facilities side of the Academy providing the creative arts, media, drama, performing arts, hair, make-up and costume design studio spaces with north light and views over both the Academy campus and the residential area which surrounds it.

• The design of the arts facilities include large, flexible music and drama studios and practice rooms with appropriate ICT and music technology. The two departments will be connected by an editing suite enabling easy collaboration.

• Art, media, communications and performance technology studios will resemble the light workshop environments, the design will be flexible enough to support learning for a group of 30 learners doing either art or performance.

• The arts ‘foyer’ will reflect the nature of the learning in this space. It will provide high levels of visibility into the activity in the street and across into the schools as well as exhibition and gallery space for learners work.

• These spaces will reflect the same approach to designation of space as the arts and science areas. Some areas will be highly specialist while others can be developed as light applied learning environments which lend themselves to a range of activities.  

• Facilities will include a machine shop, an electronic systems lab; a Prototype construction lab workshop, a product design lab, and a workshop studio with an area fitted with high spec PCs to enable computer aided engineering. These workshops are developed to actively encourage learners to make the links between functional maths, science, business, engineering and manufacturing.

• The dining facilities will be used both for formal and informal dining but also throughout the Academy day by small groups of learners and by staff. These spaces will double as social spaces before the day starts, during break and after school.

• A Learning Resource Area will be located in the re-modelled L-Shaped block (1st floor). The space will be very flexible. The main LRA will be organised around project spaces offering collaborative working between adults and children.

First Zone:

• Research Zone - with PCs, library facilities also an area of space for learners to discuss their projects with their teachers and organising a brief.

Second Zone:

• Absorbing Zone - this will be a café-style space, which could be used as respite space from their work and to meet new people.

Third Zone:

• Ideas Development - will be a number of meeting rooms.

Fourth Zone:

• The Production Zone – This would be the largest space within the learning resource centre and would have all the resources required to develop the projects e.g. media resources, information, materials. This also gives the learners the opportunity to work with the teachers.

Fifth Zone:

• The Presentation Zone – Here the learners display and present their work and get feedback from others and talk through their aspects of their learning, sharing insights and information.

Indoor Arena / Sports Hall

• The intended plan for this vital part of the Academy incorporates six badminton courts, a gymnasium, a viewing gallery and facilities for indoor hockey, basketball, netball, volleyball, 5-a-side football.

Dance Studios

• The dance studio will be an airy, uncluttered and inspiring space with full height mirrored walls accommodating up to 30 learners at any one time, and an audience seating area.

Health and Fitness Suite

• The fitness suite will be a large, well-ventilated space capable of accommodating up to 30 learners at any one time, using state-of-the-art fitness and free-weights.

After school clubs

• The Learning Street, Learning Resource Centre, Eco-dome, and Sports centres will be key spaces for after schools clubs.

Playgrounds and Recreation

• The Academy Multi Use Games Area together with Artificial Pitch / Playing Field will be a safe and well monitored area that can accommodate 1490 learners (KS3/KS4).

• The MUGA will be located to ensure that any security measures or enclosures do not detract from the impact of the other Academy facilities. This area will also act as the recreation space for learners at break and lunchtime, enabling learners and community users to participate in netball, basketball, mini football etc.

• Tennis courts.

• Six full sized sports pitches which will be marked out for a variety of sports.

• A running track and, if possible, a cycling track.

• Sand-based athletics provision will complement these, providing learners with access to a significant range of outdoor sporting activity for competitive, team and individual sport.

• Floodlit all-weather pitches.  

• Natural grass spaces are not only essential in providing for formal games and pitches, they will be used in outdoor adventurous activities, for the development of a 'green gym', and for other activities such as orienteering, cycling, cross-country, Duke of Edinburgh Award schemes.

• A full-sized fenced and floodlit synthetic turf pitch.