School's joy as foundations for new building are laid (From Thurrock Gazette)
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School's joy as foundations for new building are laid
1:30pm Wednesday 19th September 2012 in News
ORMISTON Park Academy is celebrating as the foundations of its brand new building are laid.
Balfour Beatty, contractors for the £15million campus, say they are confident building will be ready in time for September next year.
The new building, on the academy’s current site in Nethan Drive, Aveley, will have an ampitheatre, a lecture theatre accommodating up to 90 pupils, a winter garden, sports unit, e-library, as well as a canteen for parents and pupils complete with sandwich bars and a combination of ovens and hobs.
Each classroom will have its own terrace to enable pupils to take learning outside. There will also be three buildings for each of the school’s colleges, Aspen, Bantan and Sycamore.
Around £1million is being spent on technology and computers for all students, with wi-fi across the whole building, so each student will have access to a pc or laptop with internet access at all times.
Prinicpal Tess Walker, said: “We are now finally seeing our plans become real. “It's taken a lot of hard work to get this far but this fantastic new school build is what our plans have been all about from day one and why we remain committed to the project.
“We know as a school that this new build is not simply about a new building, it is in fact a complete transformation of everything that relates to learning for students.”
The academy’s sixth form is now becoming one of the largest in Thurrock, and their sixth formers start their term in the old building, then transfer to their new high tech purpose built block within the new build.
Comments(5)
E.C.M2012
says...
10:37pm Wed 19 Sep 12
DannyButcher
says...
10:17am Thu 20 Sep 12
The technological side of things could have easily have been incorporated in the old building (I know as both an ex Aveley School Student and an IT guy) so a new building wasn't necessary if the technological side of things was of most importance.
I do think that some of the added functionality of the school is a step forward, but was a completely new school required for this?
Having already erased most of the history of the school, this is the final nail in the coffin. Why do children need to learn outside anyway? Doesn't seem too indicative of thinking of the learning of the children and more of the aesthetics of the school. Are we going to have another Chafford Hundred school on our hands?
E.C.M2012
says...
7:14pm Thu 20 Sep 12
On the other hand, The Grays School remains filthy! The buildings wouldn't inspire anyone! What you see, feel and hear in a school is crucial to creating a climate for learning!
I rest my case M'lord...no further questions!
Marcus P
says...
6:50pm Sun 23 Sep 12
This obsession with new builds seems more about marketing a new school rather than raising standards across the whole of Thurrock.
Bernard 87 says...
1:43pm Wed 19 Sep 12
Considering this is one of the worst performing schools in Thurrock academically I hope that by spending all this money building new buildings will raise the exam results at this school by a considerable amount.