Work to begin on new facilities at £16million academy (From Gazette Series)

Work to begin on new facilities at £16million Yate International Academy

2:30pm Wednesday 26th January 2011 in News By Alexandra Womack

DREAMS of building new state-of-the-art education facilities in the heart of Yate are almost a reality.

Contractors are due to start work rebuilding Yate International Academy, on Sundridge Park, on March 7 subject to planning permission being granted.

Principal Roger Gilbert said the £16million academy would offer facilities for all the community.

"Our contractors Willmott Dixon and architects Aedas have really worked closely with us in helping us to design something we wanted," he said.

"We generated a lot of designs before this was agreed and I think what we have is really exciting.

"We have done a lot of work with the students about what they want from their new school and involved them in sustainability workshops with the builders, creating learning opportunities throughout the process."

The academy has been designed around a central hub, a circular area featuring a large reception, learning resource centre and ICT rooms all in view of a cylindrical internal wall featuring a map of the world and hi-tech plasma screens.

"The hub will be the heart of the school," said Mr Gilbert. "It will include various elements of learning and everything will lead off from the hub. It will almost be a one-stop show for pupils."

The rest of the academy will form an H shape with two wings at each side; one containing a communications zone of modern languages, humanities and English, and an investigation zone of science and maths and the other featuring specialised facilities such as a vocational centre with a fully-equipped hair and beauty salon, motor vehicle workshop and technology rooms.

There will be a construction barn for outside use, a much improved dining area and a ‘stem’ theatre seating 60 pupils for large classes and seminars.

On the first floor will be a 240-seater auditorium and assembly hall, next door to a drama studio. There will also be a fitness suite complete with treadmills and rowing machines, a dance studio with retractable seating so it can be used as a 150-seater cinema.

Unusually, a larger than average sports hall will be built on the first floor creating more opportunities on ground level.

The sixth form will also be located upstairs, along with study rooms and social areas and the second floor will house the art, photography and textiles departments.

Mr Gilbert said: "We are future proofing the building so we are creating lots of ways of working which could be used in the future."

The building will be environmentally friendly with solar panels on the roof and ground source heating. The science block, which opened in 2007, is the only building to be retained.

The new academy is due to be completed by July 2012, when demolition of the existing buildings will begin.