Exeter Primary School, Corby – Proposed Extensions
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THE EAST NORTHANTS COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP – PROPOSED VOCATIONAL CENTRES SUPPORTING STATEMENT – FERRERS SPECIALIST ARTS COLLEGE Background - General This project has been developed as a result of The East Northamptonshire Partnership (ENP) being successful in the Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC) 16 – 19 Competition for East Northamptonshire, and is supported by local Schools, Colleges, Local Authorities, Connexions and the LSC. The LSC Northamptonshire Strategic Area Review (StAR) conducted in 2004/5 highlighted the need to improve educational achievement of young people particularly those obtaining either a level 2 or level 3 qualifications aged 19. It also recognised the need to increase post 16 retention through the development of a more relevant curriculum. In 2006 the Northamptonshire LSC set out a Statement of Need for the East Northamptonshire Area and launched a 16-19 Capital Competition seeking innovative proposals to achieve the stated objectives. The StAR for East Northamptonshire identified a requirement to further develop vocational routes in the district , stating that vocational options post 16 were ‘limited’. This proposal builds on the recognised strength of The East Northamptonshire Partnership, a highly successful collaborative post-16 partnership of over 20 years as was acknowledged by the StAR. ENP consists of the secondary schools in East Northants – Ferrers Specialist Arts College Huxlow Science College Manor School & Sports College Prince William School Rushden Community College This project builds on the requirements of the competition to:- Widen choice and access for young people by delivering quality coordinated and complementary 16-19 provision across the East Northamptonshire area. Supports the priority to engage all learners up to the age of 18 in education or training Provide the environment for the delivery of the Entitlement Curriculum by 2013 Further cement and enhance collaboration and the delivery of vocational learning programmes focused on meeting the need of individual young people Develop innovative arrangements for the leadership and management of Educational provision and prepare the East Northamptonshire area for the changing role of Local Authorities set out in the 2006 Education & Inspection Act Provide a locally coherent structured learning framework, which has long-term sustainability by building existing and new provider relationships, focused on meeting the needs of young people in East Northamptonshire Provide a sustainable applied learning and vocational curriculum that’s responds to learner and employer needs. An assessment of the provision currently on offer has shown that schools lack the space and the facilities to deliver all the specialised lines of learning and vocational courses at the levels which are being requested by students and which are desperately needed by employers for the growth of the local economy Raise standards, attainment, and progression through improved facilities and pathways Supports the Northamptonshire County 14-19 strategy to increase post 16 vocational routes in rural districts, in collaboration with key delivery partners supporting statement - enp vocational centre ferrers THE EAST NORTHANTS COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP – PROPOSED VOCATIONAL CENTRES To respond to the identified need to increase capacity and the range of specialise lines of learning and vocational programmes it is necessary to build diverse, additional practical learning areas. The creation of supportive learning environments and a fit-for-purpose ICT infrastructure are also crucial to the coherence of the overall package. The enhancement of existing provider sites to accommodate the growing number of post-16 students on school rolls in the area will involve creating additional space tailored to deliver the non-practical elements of each course, along with functional skills and ICT course components. Each site will feature a multi-purpose area tailored to the post-16 vocational curriculum needs. A student following the practical element of an applied learning or vocational programme, will spend a proportion of their time at their home base to study functional skills and, if desired, will have the opportunity to follow a mixed vocational/academic programme. The building footprint of each learning centre is designed to ensure continuity and coherence and recognition that it is an East Northamptonshire Partnership learning base. The buildings are corporately uniform in external design but detailed, individual internal modelling represents the bespoke equipment and resources necessary to deliver the specific vocational and applied lines of learning. The uniqueness of each building will be determined by the facilities and equipment necessary to deliver the planned lines of learning. Background – Ferrers Specialist Arts College Working in partnership with local and regional creative and media providers The Ferrers School will establish a dedicated applied learning centre ( meeting the diverse range of options that co-exist in this line of learning). The collaborative working will be further supported by partnership arrangements with Latimer Arts College who are delivering the Creative and Media Diploma in conjunction with Tresham College. The Ferrers School dedicated applied learning centre will provide for levels 1-3 for 50 students in Creative and Media. The Ferrers School is keen to strengthen and deepen this provision for which they are recognised as specialists and for which there is a clear demand across East Northamptonshire. Consultation As part of the 16 – 19 capital bid, consultation was undertaken by ENP with key stakeholders including FE colleges, Connexions, LEA, LSC and local schools. Consultation has taken place with staff, students and parents with extremely positive response. No pre-application public consultation has taken place specific to this particular building. Staff Numbers There are currently circa 130 staff and with the building of the new vocational centre there will be 3 further staff, totalling approx 133. Travel plan A travel plan has been produced by the school (see attached) which will be further reviewed to consider the requirements of the vocational centre at the next review date. To enable students from any of the ENP schools to access the full post 16 curriculum the existing cohesive and integrated transport system will be used. This has already been in successful operation for a number of years and is fully funded by the schools. Refer to attached summary and timetable. Flood Risk Assessment Environment Agency flood maps were reviewed as part of the process to provide the best location for the new building and a site location away from flood zones 2 & 3 selected. As the site is in a zone not thought to be at risk from flooding no further flood risk assessment is required. supporting statement - enp vocational centre ferrers DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT Vocational Learning Centre at Ferrers Specialist Arts College for East Northamptonshire Partnership prepared by Peter Haddon and Partners Architects May 2008 080520nd3738A2fs D&A Ferrers SITE CONTEXT Background: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Northamptonshire Strategic Area Review (StAR) conducted in 2004/5 highlighted the need to improve educational achievement of young people across the county, particularly those obtaining qualifications aged 19. In 2006 in Northamptonshire LSC set out a statement of need for the East Northamptonshire Area and sought proposals for an innovative scheme to achieve the stated objectives. In response to this need the East Northamptonshire Partnership (ENP), a partnership of the five mainstream secondary schools in the area of need and two further education colleges was formed to formulate a strategy for the provision of new facilities. It was recognised that the need for new vocational places could not be solved through the creation of a single new institution. A proposal, which integrated new provision into the existing infrastructure and followed a themed design on each of the five sites would be the most effective and sustainable way of improving participation and attainment. An assessment of the provision currently on offer showed that the existing schools lacked the space and the facilities to deliver all the specialised vocational courses at the levels which are being requested by students and which are desperately needed by employers for the growth of the local economy. Proposals: The East Northamptonshire Partnership proposals involves constructing a specialist Applied Learning Centre on each school partnership site, each one delivering a range of different specialised learning pathways and offering students genuine choice and flexibility regardless of their home base institution. Learners will travel between sites using an integrated and cohesive transport network which will be an expanded version of the system currently in place across East Northamptonshire (refer separate statement). Each centre will comprise an area for specialist vocational learning together with rooms for traditional support teaching, tutorials, administration, staff and toilet facilities. The completed project will create vocational learning places for 16-19 year olds across the East Northamptonshire Learning Area offering a range of applied learning. The subject of this application is Ferrers Specialist Arts College which will offer creative and media including music as it‟s specialism. Separate applications will also be made for the remaining schools/colleges within the ENC as follows:-