Haywood Academy Sixth Form proposal
Old Town Hall, Burslem
BUILDING ON ACHIEVEMENTS... ...an exciting future for Burslem
BUILDING ON ACHIEVEMENTS...
Ambitious plan to drive town’s regeneration AYWOOD Academy has submitted an ambitious bid to breathe new life into Burslem’s historic town hall by developing a sixth form centre for hundreds of students at the heart of Stoke-on-Trent’s Mother Town.
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One of the UK’s most improved schools, the Haywood Academy is cementing its place in its community through an exciting partnership with leading tableware manufacturer Steelite International, the support of Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the Princes Trust. The £1.9m development would see 400 students move into the beautiful old building – famous for the golden angel which stands on top of its clock tower. It would see the demolition of the single storey Ceramica extension outside the old town hall. A two-storey classroom block will be built on the site to accommodate more students. But sciences will be taught in existing labs at the school’s High Lane campus – five minutes away from the town centre.
It will mean students from Haywood Academy, and a number of young people from other schools, will be able to study for A-levels closer to home, and will no longer have to travel across the city to college. The plans have the overwhelming support of Haywood Academy students, the local authority, local businesses and the Burslem community. Academy Headteacher Carl Ward said: “The old town hall has a special place in the hearts of Burslem people. Bringing it back to life with a thriving sixth form community would be a massive boost to the town’s regeneration. “This initiative would make a major contribution to reversing Burslem’s decline and give the town a new sense of purpose. “Hundreds of extra people in the town every day would bring a welcome boost to the town’s traders and would undoubtedly bring in additional investment.”
WHAT WILL THE SIXTH FORM CENTRE ACHIEVE? It will: X Meet the demand for high quality post-16 education in the north of Stoke-on-Trent. X Extend the Academy’s achievements into 16-19 education and build on its ethos of care and guidance to support students as they learn for life.
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X Drive up standards, choice and diversity in the north of Stoke-on-Trent.
and progress into higher education, training and employment.
X Make it easier for parents and students to plan a learning pathway with a simple choice to learn locally at a high achieving school and sixth form.
X Extend choice and raise aspirations.
X Improve achievement across a broad curriculum to enable accademic success
X Build on the school’s academy status, promoting a challenging, supportive and continuous curriculum which encourages progress and academic excellence.
...an exciting future for Burslem
BY HAYWOOD ACADEMY HEAD TEACHER CARL WARD
HAYWOOD Academy has already created a successful school community built on co-operation and learning. We’re one of the most improved schools in the UK, and OFSTED has rated us “Good with Exemplary Features”. That’s an achievement of which we can all be proud.
Top quality Academy journey can continue to further education
At the moment, students who join our community at age 11 leave with sincere regret at 16 and face a world of difficult choices and uncertainty. Our aim is to give them the continuity they deserve, in a sixth form centre which follows and builds on our successful ethos. We are very conscious that at 16 our students’ journey is not finished. Introducing a sixth form here will give our students continuity in their learning in an environment where they are known and which encourages the highest standards. At present our students move on to other further education organisations, but the vast majority have indicated they would, if given the choice, wish to stay on at Haywood Academy instead of transferring to another sixth form provider. We feel we owe it to our students to give them that continuity. A massive added bonus would be the contribution our sixth form would make to the regeneration of Burslem. It’s no secret the Mother Town has seen better days. We’re delighted to have an opportunity to make a difference, and we’re delighted with the response we’ve received from local businesses and the community. Over the page you’ll see some detail about the plans and how we would deliver services from the old town hall. Then you can read just a few responses from our partners and the community. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported us so far, especially important partners like Steelite International, the Princes Charities and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, who share our vision and whose support is invaluable. The formal bid has now been submitted to the Government and we are waiting, first for approval to open a sixth form and then for the funds we need to develop premises in the old town hall.
Haywood Academy Head Teacher Carl Ward, right, with Steelite Chief Executive Kevin Oakes.
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Introducing a sixth form here will give our students continuity in their learning in an environment where they are known and which encourages the highest standards.
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...an exciting future for Burslem
BUILDING ON ACHIEVEMENTS...
New subjects can lead to exciting futures HE new sixth form centre would offer an extensive range of academic subjects at A-level.
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Subjects like maths, English, modern languages, geography and history would be taught in new classrooms at the old town hall, while science students would study in labs at the main academy campus, five minutes away. We’re excited to announce new subjects in the academy, including psychology and history of art, to broaden student achievement and open up new
opportunities in higher education. There will also be appropriate vocational elements to learning at the centre, closely linked to progress routes and exciting futures, including subjects like business studies, ICT and media studies... all of these are looked upon favourably as fourth subjects by even the most rigorous universities. Each year group will number approximately 160 students from Haywood Academy, and an additional 40 students from other schools who fit the
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New subjects in the academy, include psychology and history of art, to broaden student achievement and open up new opportunities in higher education
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right academic profile. Learning will be accommodated across the whole town hall building, with classrooms and workspaces on all floors. There will be an IT-based learning support centre and library, which can also be used by the local community, and break out zones for informal study and relaxing. The single storey annexe built for the Ceramica development will be demolished and replaced with a two storey classroom and office block.
Industry link with school is important BY KEVIN OAKES , CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF ACADEMY SPONSOR STEELITE INTERNATIONAL AS a world leading manufacturer of tableware in the Potteries, Steelite International is committed to putting something back by supporting local initiatives which have a positive impact on our communities. This particular project has attracted our attention from the very beginning. We have a long association with Haywood High School – now Haywood Academy – and we are absolutely delighted to be a part of the school’s future by sponsoring this project. From a company and industry perspective, as a world leader we need young people coming into the organisation with the right skills, knowledge and the right aptitude. Anything we can do to support local education and to foster good relationships between education and industry is vitally important. Stoke-on-Trent’s ceramics industry is undergoing a renaissance and we must build for the future. A thriving Burslem town centre is vitally important to Steelite International - we’re fiercely proud of the town’s famous heritage. By locating a sixth form centre in the old town hall we will help increase footfall in the town and, I am certain, boost its economy.
HAYWOOD S I X T H FO R M
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...an exciting future for Burslem
BUILDING ON ACHIEVEMENTS...
New subjects can lead to exciting futures HE new sixth form centre would offer an extensive range of academic subjects at A-level.
T
Subjects like maths, English, modern languages, geography and history would be taught in new classrooms at the old town hall, while science students would study in labs at the main academy campus, five minutes away. We’re excited to announce new subjects in the academy, including psychology and history of art, to broaden student achievement and open up new
opportunities in higher education. There will also be appropriate vocational elements to learning at the centre, closely linked to progress routes and exciting futures, including subjects like business studies, ICT and media studies... all of these are looked upon favourably as fourth subjects by even the most rigorous universities. Each year group will number approximately 160 students from Haywood Academy, and an additional 40 students from other schools who fit the
“”
New subjects in the academy, include psychology and history of art, to broaden student achievement and open up new opportunities in higher education
4 HAYWOOD S I X T H FO R M
right academic profile. Learning will be accommodated across the whole town hall building, with classrooms and workspaces on all floors. There will be an IT-based learning support centre and library, which can also be used by the local community, and break out zones for informal study and relaxing. The single storey annexe built for the Ceramica development will be demolished and replaced with a two storey classroom and office block.
Industry link with school is important BY KEVIN OAKES , CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF ACADEMY SPONSOR STEELITE INTERNATIONAL AS a world leading manufacturer of tableware in the Potteries, Steelite International is committed to putting something back by supporting local initiatives which have a positive impact on our communities. This particular project has attracted our attention from the very beginning. We have a long association with Haywood High School – now Haywood Academy – and we are absolutely delighted to be a part of the school’s future by sponsoring this project. From a company and industry perspective, as a world leader we need young people coming into the organisation with the right skills, knowledge and the right aptitude. Anything we can do to support local education and to foster good relationships between education and industry is vitally important. Stoke-on-Trent’s ceramics industry is undergoing a renaissance and we must build for the future. A thriving Burslem town centre is vitally important to Steelite International - we’re fiercely proud of the town’s famous heritage. By locating a sixth form centre in the old town hall we will help increase footfall in the town and, I am certain, boost its economy.
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BUILDING ON ACHIEVEMENTS... THE HISTORIAN
Historic hall is an inspiration URSLEM historian Fred Hughes has welcomed the proposal to bring Burslem’s historic old town hall back into use.
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The building, opened with a grand banquet in 1863, was a symbol of prosperity, community, civic pride and local strength. The golden winged figure of Victory atop the hall was described by locals as The Angel after being described so by world famous novelist Arnold Bennett. Another famous son of the town, rock megastar Robbie Williams, took the golden statue as one of the inspirations for his global hit Angels. Fred, who sits on the Haywood Academy Board of Governors, said: “The old town hall is a symbol of the town’s prosperity and pride, substance, community and the strength of commerce and retail. “What the new use for the building would do is harmonise all these attributes that have left the town and reintroduce all those things from Burslem’s past into a modern environment which is at the heart of the town’s future. “It’s going to be such an important development in that it will attract new investors from a number of fields, including creative industries, retail and support services... a real boost for the whole community.”
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The old town hall is a symbol of the town’s prosperity and pride, substance, community and the strength of commerce and retail.
THE TRADER
Business backs college proposal FAMILY business Millers Butchers, based in Queen’s Street a short walk from the old town hall, says the new sixth form centre would provide a welcome boost for trade.
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There’s never been a greater need for a boost to Burslem. We need more people and more reasons for people to visit.
Father and son Fred and Jason Miller remember the heady days, when thousands of potbank workers would throng into the town. Fred, pictured, said an influx of students and staff to the old town hall would be great news for local businesses, and would lever
in additional investment. He said: “There’s never been a greater need for a boost to Burslem. We need more people and more reasons for people to visit. “Just having the sixth form centre would create lots more footfall which would benefit local businesses. “But I also think it would lead to more investment, maybe filling some of our empty shops, and that would attract even more shoppers and visitors to the town.”
...an exciting future for Burslem THE SCHOOL GOVERNOR
Sixth form can’t come soon enough DAVE Johnson, who chairs the Board of Governors at Haywood Academy, said there was already a buzz around the school about the possibility of opening its own sixth form centre. He said students moving on this year were disappointed they would not have the opportunity to stay on and learn in Burslem. Dave said: “The proposals extend the community focus of the school as it is now. It’s also been carefully drawn up to play an important role in the regeneration of Burslem and make the school an integral part of that package.
“This sixth form centre would have a massive impact on the town’s future. “Moreover it gives the opportunity for students to have Haywood Academy as part of their education, development and progress from primary age to sixth form.” He added that feedback from students on plans to set up a sixth form was really positive. Dave explained: “I spoke to the head boy and head girl who said they were disappointed they wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the school’s own sixth form. As far as the students are concerned it can’t come soon enough.”
THE STUDENTS
Year 11s ‘gutted’ they will miss out EAR 11 students Bushra Kaibri and Jamilah Ali plan to study for their A-levels in Stoke, Newcastle or Trent Vale... but both friends would prefer to learn in Burslem.
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Unfortunately the new sixth form centre won’t be open until they are half way through their A-level studies, so both face new environments and two or three bus journeys each way when they make the move to college.
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We know how the place works and we know the people. If we were staying on at the school’s own sixth form it would be so much easier to adjust.
“We’re used to learning at Haywood Academy,” said Burshra. “We know how the place works and we know the people. If we were staying on at the school’s own sixth form it would be so much easier to adjust.”
Jamilah agreed: “We both live within a few minutes of the school so we’d be able to walk down to the sixth form centre in Burslem. As it is we’ll have to catch the bus across the city or even to Newcastle.” Both admitted to being “a bit gutted” that they might miss out on studying at Haywood Academy’s own sixth form by just a year, but they agreed it’s a good proposal for the school and the town. Bushra, who has ambitions to study medicine or law at university, said: “It would be great to carry on learning closer to home. We’ve had a good start at Haywood and it would have been great to continue learning in that environment.”
Jamilah Ali, left, and Bushra Kaibri. HAYWOOD S I X T H FO R M
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Plan can be a huge boost for town’s regeneration BY STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL LEADER MOHAMMED PERVEZ
TOKE-ON-TRENT City Council is pleased to support Haywood Academy’s bid to develop a vibrant sixth form centre for hundreds of students in Burslem’s old town hall.
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Councillor Pervez with head teacher Carl Ward.
As well as providing leading edge educational activity to support the school’s existing provision, it provides a significant regeneration opportunity to the town, and makes use of the historic town hall building. I am happy to offer the council’s support for this exciting proposal that will breathe new life into a
wonderful Grade II* listed building. The development would not only be a major boost for education in the north of the city, continuing the good work and achievement of Haywood Academy, but would also bring massive benefits in terms of footfall and trade for Burslem businesses. That’s got to be good news for the town. I am excited by this initiative and hopeful that such a great cultural landmark can be used for the positive use of the Burslem community as was once originally intended.
Leaving no stone unturned to find support for town hall bid BY STOKE-ON-TRENT NORTH MP JOAN WALLEY
HIS is a once in a lifetime opportunity to breathe new life into one of Burslem’s most iconic buildings and to give the entire town a boost.
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By bringing the old town hall back into use as a vibrant sixth form centre we will not only be encouraging young people to develop their skills, we will also be bringing young people back into Burslem, supporting local businesses and consolidating the town as a centre of innovation and creativity. The clear need for a sixth form centre in the town has long been identified. It will see young people
locally educated, feeling part of their town’s regeneration and aspirations for the future. The centre will see exciting collaborations with existing schools and the Stoke-on-Trent College centre in the town. It will mesh with the local community, bring trade to the town and create a real buzz around Burslem. That’s why I’m leaving no stone unturned, seeking support from ministers, businesses and education experts to make sure this scheme goes ahead and provides an exciting future, not just for the students who study in the centre but also for the town itself.
BUILDING ON ACHIEVEMENTS... ...an exciting future for Burslem