New investment

The next major initiative in the Academy’s multi-million pound development programme, following the opening of the science centre, is the new nursery and after-school facility. Richard Murphy Architects were retained to design the building and construction has started. The new building is located at the end of the existing car park space, thus visually enclosing the courtyard between the existing Junior School and the Sports Centre and providing a termination to the view on arrival at the school from Arboretum Road.

Planning for a capacity of 90 children, the architects have come up with a very creative use of floor space, which allows for a flexibility of approach. With demand for Nursery places running at record levels, the new Nursery will enable the needs of all our young people aged 2–5 to be met. We shall be able to take 2 year olds all day from January 2009.

After school care

The new building will also give us a first-class facility for After School care for the whole school: our current After School Club is greatly valued by our parents, and we are delighted that it will be included in the new building. The Academy is confident that the building will provide a superb addition to the school and provide the type of facilities which working parents want for their children.