The next few weeks will see the most significant change to Sidmouth College in decades as staff and students prepare to move into their new building.
The facility will house a new hall, a gym, canteen and more than 20 classrooms including new technology workshops, a music suite and an activity/dance studio.
College Principal Sarah Parsons said: “We are delighted that we are going to be moving into our new facilities over the Christmas break, the changes will impact the education of our young people for many years to come.
“It was over five years ago at the beginning of 2015 when Sidmouth College first received the news that we would be a part of the Government’s Priority Schools Building Project. It has been a long time coming, with the coronavirus leading to a temporary shutdown of the site in early summer and delays caused by restrictions on the number of workers on site, but we are nearly there!”
With phase one completed, the project moves into phase two, which will see the demolition of the old college buildings, with the final landscaping taking place in May. The college is hoping to be able to celebrate with the local community when the whole project is completed next summer.
Sarah added: “This week we have been able to show all the students and staff around the new building ready for their return in January. The completion of phase one provides us with some good news at a time when there is so much anxiety and uncertainty in the current climate.
“The feedback from staff and students has been overwhelmingly positive. I am pleased that our students will have such a fantastic environment to support our high-quality teaching and learning and I am looking forward to welcoming them back in the New Year.”
To prepare for the move, the college launched a fundraising campaign to raise money to purchase equipment for the students inside the new building. The first priority was to raise enough funds to kit out all new classrooms with the latest audio-visual technology, consisting of interactive HD screens and sound equipment and this has been made possible thanks to a number of generous donations and funding.
“Our aim is for Sidmouth College to become a centre of excellence for its students and our facilities will also provide new opportunities for the local community; we will be providing more information shortly to share what is available.” said Sarah.
With only a few weeks to go, the college is now seeking to raise enough money to purchase the final pieces of equipment for the classrooms, such as new furniture and storage and internal and external signage to finish off the smart new interior and exterior.
The building has been funded by the Department for Education, but they do not provide funds for non-fixed equipment or furniture. Along with many schools, the college’s budget has been stretched to the limit by costs associated with the Coronavirus outbreak.
The college says that any contributions will be put to good use and wishes to thank all those who have donated to its appeal so far. You can make a donation by visiting their Just Giving page at: www.justgiving.com/campaign/SCAPE
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