OFFICIAL £5M ACADEMY OPENING COMMEMORATED WITH BOOK DONATIONS

A special event has taken place to mark the official opening of the new Purple Oaks Academy building in Northampton with staff, students and the team which helped to make the project a success.

Midlands-based G F Tomlinson, which built the special educational needs school in 12 months, was invited to recognise the milestone alongside representatives from the Department of Education, the Education and Skills Funding Agency, Greenwood Academies Trust, GSS Architecture and Northamptonshire County Council

To celebrate the new £5 million facility, guests were invited to donate a non-fiction book to grow the library and its resources. G F Tomlinson has donated the entire science and technology section of the library.

The specially designed library will be used daily by students to enhance their learning and also as a relaxing space during their free time. The additional resources will help to engage students and broaden the reading material available to them.

Guests also took a tour of the new facilities and heard from staff how student behaviour and attendance has improved since the children have started at the academy, some as recently as 15^th January 2018.

Sarah Martin, principal of the Purple Oaks Academy said: “The official opening of the academy has been a great celebration of the fantastic new facilities we have at Purple Oaks Academy.

“The staff, students and parents are really thrilled with the academy’s features such as smaller class sizes than our mainstream counterparts, our sensory room, break-out rooms and calming areas which have helped to support the excellent behaviour of our students and allow them to concentrate on their learning. Our on-site kitchen is providing fantastic meals and encouraging students to try new foods.

“We have noticed children who come to learn here are much calmer and are becoming more independent as a result of the activities we offer such as sensory circuits and relaxation sessions.

“Our parents have already given our academy top marks in a recent survey and would recommend it to other parents; the academy wouldn’t have been such a success without the teams which helped make it a reality, so I thank them for that. A special thanks to G F Tomlinson for their generous book donation to the library too.”

Mike Hamlin, Chair of Trustees, Greenwood Academies Trust, commemorated the official opening of the building by unveiling an official plaque which is sited in the main reception area.

Andy Sewards, managing director for G F Tomlinson, said: “Visiting Purple Oaks Academy and seeing how well the school has been received by the pupils and staff is one of the reasons why we’re proud to deliver new education facilities.

“Schools like this not only inspire and educate children, but also empower them to become more independent which has a positive effect on the families too. I’m confident this school will improve the lives of many more children in years to come and hope that the new library books we have donated will be enjoyed by many.”

Wayne Norrie, chief executive of Greenwood Academies Trust, added: “I would like to thank the ESFA and Northamptonshire County Council for providing the funding for this fantastic new academy.

“It was a real pleasure to work with the project team which included the ESFA, G F Tomlinson, Gleeds, GSS Architecture and Greenwood Academies Trust, on the new build free school, Purple Oaks Academy project.

“The whole team were really focussed and determined to deliver a high-quality new building which was sensitive to the requirements of a special school and they really listened to and engaged with the Trust.

“Although working to a tight funding envelope, the ESFA and G F Tomlinson were flexible and responsive to suggested minor amendments which have made the operation of the academy better for the staff and students. I really hope we do get to work together again on another project.

“This new academy also supports our vision and commitment to educating all children within the communities we serve by opening Special Schools alongside our mainstream provision.”

The academy includes two outdoor courtyards created from a ‘figure of eight’ design where younger and older children can play safely, a large secure grass sports pitch and dedicated ‘multi use games area’. The academy also benefits from 14 class bases and additional space for science, music, art, food technology and breakout spaces.

The special needs school welcomed students for the first time in September 2017 and the students moved into the new building in January 2018, which offers educational support for students with a diagnosis of autism and/or severe learning difficulties

This Free School project is being delivered through the ESFA Framework.