ASPIRE ACADEMY : COMMONSIDE ROAD, ESSEX

Sectors : Learning

Client : Morgan Sindall & Aspire Academy Trust

Aspire Academy is an Alternative Provision Free School run by the Aspire Academy Trust. Located in Harlow, Essex, Aspire serves pupils aged 4 to 16 who have been transferred from mainstream schools. Aspire educates pupils in line with mainstream schools, allowing pupils equal opportunity for academic achievement. The Academy provides additional support and offers a high teacher to pupil ratio. Valuable in planning terms as a locally designated ‘Green Wedge’ the inherited site layout required redesign to address the requirements of the new school. The inherited building was inadequate to support learning in line with mainstream schools and with regard to the age range of pupils.

Design development focused on key design principles;

To facilitate effective education for pupils in line with mainstream curriculum requirements and along with pastoral support.

To provide a secure, safe and positive environment for pupils and a supportive environment for teachers.

To provide a recognisable and distinct school identity for primary and secondary pupils, responsive to the differing needs and agendas of these two age groups, whilst expressing and celebrating the school as a single entity.

To support a teaching ethos that is responsive and adaptable to the individual needs and aspirations of pupils through the creation of flexible spaces of varying scales enabling pupils to be taught in a variety of group sizes.

To promote health, relationships and general well-being through family-style dining, providing space where all the different age groups and teachers can sit down together.