Ambitions
The existing site has outlived its usefulness. It was designed to be used in very different ways to how we now use it and the cost of refurbishing it would be astronomical for relatively little gain. Therefore we are committed to a total rebuild, to create an Academy that is inspirational and geared around the needs and abilities of deaf students.
We are also committed to bringing together different agencies and organisations within the Academy to provide a ‘one stop shop’ for deaf children and their families. Our vision is an Academy which enables a seamless and comprehensive support for deaf children, covering health, social work and educational provision, one that draws together the public sector and voluntary sector agencies to transform the services given.
The Academy’s new building will be designed by the award winning education architects de Rijke Marsh Morgan. They were shortlisted for the Stirling Prize for their extension of Clapham Manor Primary School and have designed an exemplar school design for the Department for Education and won numerous awards for their work at Kingsdale School in South London. Kingsdale is based on sustainability of design, construction and ongoing practice. Its innovative use of pretreated timber and proven innovative technologies such as an ETFE roof (similar to the Eden project’s biomes) creates an inspirational learning environment. Following extensive consultation with students and staff, the design will reflect some key design principles which will help create an inspiring environment that reflects the needs and abilities of deaf students.