WEST Coventry Academy’s £38million history-making school building has been unveiled.
The building is one of the nation’s first net-zero schools and one of ten pioneering projects across the country to be built using materials with a lower carbon content.
The new state-of-the-art facilities at the Tile Hill Lane school include a new sports hall and swimming pool.
Ground on the project was broken in September 2021, with students continuing at the old school site on Nutbrook Avenue until the end of the 2022/23 academic year.
The old building will now be demolished to make space for more new facilities.
Headteacher Ana Neofitou joined Sangeeta Redgrave, Regional Head of the Department for Education, and representatives from contractor Bowmer + Kirkland and the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP) on September 14 to unveil a plaque marking the end of the huge rebuilding project.
Ms Neofitou said: “This new building has transformed the learning environment we can provide for all our students.
“It has transformed what we can offer to the local community. It has transformed the working conditions for our staff.”
Ms Redgrave said: “I’m so proud to be involved in this project – it’s a little bit emotional, actually, to be here.
“This is an exemplar scheme which we hope to replicate across all of our projects.
“We all brought our ‘A’ game to this place – and look at what we have achieved.
“We also brought Coventry City Council onboard to make sure that we could integrated with their sports strategy for use of the swimming pool and sports hall.
“This school rebuild is making an impact in the wider Coventry community.”
ATLP CEO Richard Gill CBE thanked everyone involved in the project and said: “Some of our students even went out to visit the contractors at their base, to see the panels being designed and manufactured – so the school community really has shared the journey together.”
Year 10 student leader Mia said: “Over the past few days I have been learning where my classrooms are and getting used to the lay-out of the school.
“On my first day I was so excited to see my brand-new school – I remember walking in with my friends and standing there in awe.
“The new journey of our school will be truly amazing and will benefit everyone. It feels like year seven all over again, but this time the teachers are getting used to the school as well.
“I feel proud and privileged to be attending West Coventry Academy.”
