Ambitions Academies Trust (AAT) spent the summer carrying out £1.4m of renovations across its schools.
Each of the Trust’s six academies benefited from the major project, receiving everything from new libraries and computer suites, to new roofs, boilers and bicycle sheds:
Manorside Academy in Evering Avenue, Poole, has a new roof, a new home economics room, an extra classroom and an upgraded toilet block.
King’s Park Academy in Ashley Road, Bournemouth, has a new ICT suite and brand new cycle sheds*.
Queen’s Park Academy in West Way, Bournemouth, has a new ICT suite, library and refurbished toilets.
Tregonwell Academy in Petersfield Road, Bournemouth, has a new ICT suite and science laboratory and refurbished classrooms, kitchen and pastoral room.
St Aldhelm’s Academy in Herbert Avenue, Poole, received a new roof, a new library and a refurbished canteen**
Longspee special school in Learoyd Road, Canford Heath, Poole, has a new roof, fascias, internal ceilings and boiler.
Ambitions Academies Trust (formerly Tregonwell Multi-Academy Trust) was formed in July 2014 and operates six primary, secondary and special schools over eight sites.
Phil Minns, CEO of the Trust, said: “Investing in our pupils’ education is paramount and along with providing the best teaching staff this also requires excellent resources such as IT suites and well equipped libraries.
“Continuing renovations will help all our academies on their journey to becoming outstanding.”
Gavin O’Connell is Acting Associate Principal at AAT’s Longspee special school which has a new roof, fascias, internal ceilings and boiler.
He said: “The school looks brighter and more modern and the children were very impressed when they returned in September.
“I think it’s important for our parents to know we are investing in the academy, as well as their children’s education.
“It’s also perfect timing following our recent grading of outstanding by Ofsted.”
The
Longspee Academy has newly refurbished outside areas. Pupils are pictured with associate principal Gavin O’Donnell and Ambitions Academies Trust estates manager Ian Hawkins.
renovations were funded by four Educational Funding Authority condition improvement grants, which were bid for and won by AAT’s estates manager Ian Hawkins.
He said: “Replacing roofs is extremely expensive – Manorside’s alone cost £641,484 and Longspee’s was £331,031.
“I applied for eight grants in total and was extremely pleased to win four which covered all the improvements.
“The majority of the work was conducted over the summer break, with our contractors, many of whom were local, including AK Control, Kevin Wilkins Electrical, Vitec Ceilings and partitions and Status Flooring, working flat out.
“I am now in the process of putting together applications for the next round of condition improvement grants which must be submitted by December 2016.”
Media information – Debbie Granville, account director at Deep South Media, on 01202 534487 mobile: 07884 657782 or email: debbie.granville@deepsouthmedia.co.uk
*King’s Park also received a new classroom, toilet block and flooring.
**St Aldhelm’s has already undergone massive renovations under AAT to replace noisy, open plan teaching areas with new classrooms and to install modern facilities including specialist IT suites and science labs.
