Headteacher"s pride in pupils - and the new school building

Kevin McRoberts 1593 - 1593 • Published 6 May 2009 12:27 0 Comments

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THE first-ever awards ceremony held in the new Alloa Academy building was a chance to reward pupils for their efforts over the past year - and to praise all those involved in the creation of the new school.

Headteacher Ralph Barker, who admitted he had not felt quite so positive about the school for a long time, expressed pride in the pupils" achievements and his delight that staff and pupils were now working in a 'wonderful new building'.

He said the involvement of the staff and pupils in the design and requirements of the school had ensured that this was a building fit for purpose, and one which visiting headteachers had described as the 'showpiece PPP school for Scotland'.

Mr Barker told parents and guests at the awards ceremony, 'The council has spared no expense in ensuring that Clackmannanshire"s pupils, and in particular those that attend Alloa Academy, have the best learning conditions.

'When I mention to my headteacher colleagues that all equipment in the school is new they don"t believe me - until I show them it.

'Almost all other councils involved in the PPP scheme have brought old items down to their new building, whether it be desks, computers etc - just ask school staff who work in Falkirk or Stirling for example and whether they all have inter-active white boards in most classrooms. The equipment therefore is second to none.'

Mr Barker, however, added that the real success story was down to the architects.

Stephen Long and James Robertson, of 3D Reid Architects, were guests of honour at the ceremony, and their work in the creation of the new building is clearly appreciated by the school"s headteacher.

Mr Barker said, 'Far too many people in this town criticised the decision to build the school on this site, one of the reasons being it was too small.

'Yet 3DReid architects have produced a spacious building with so much natural daylight that it is stunning.

'Architects have two main resources in designing a building - one is space and the other is light. This company has produced a building which is fit for purpose, and shows exactly what can be done with innovation, experience and knowledge.

'Frequently buildings can be built but do not fill the role they are intended for. This building does. From the width of the corridors, the speed at which lunch is served, the brilliant facilities, the flexible learning areas, the incorporation of the former Fairfield School - these are all areas of excellence.

'This is as a school should be and I am immensely proud of the building, as are our pupils and staff. This site therefore was not too small.'

Mr Barker dismissed those who criticised the decision to site the school in south east Alloa, adding he hoped the school would act as a catalyst for the regeneration of this part of town. He said crime in the immediate area had dropped and that the local community and pupils had taken a pride in the school.

Another major success has been the integration into Alloa Academy of pupils who used to attend Fairfield Special School. Mr Barker said several of the original Alloa Academy pupils had befriended Fairfield pupils and visited them in their base and classrooms.

He added, 'I am not aware of even one irresponsible comment being made and this proves to me that the decision to merge these two schools was correct and is in the interests of pupils from both schools as a social and learning experience for them all.'

ALLOA ACADEMY MAIN AWARDS:

Citizenship: Kenneth Bell, Claire Galbraith, Michelle Green, Eve Macdonald, Calum Poskitt-Marshall, Ross Riddock, Dan Smith.

Margaret Beveridge QuAIch: Ryan Taylor.

Rorison Award: Stuart Edwards.

Perfect Attendance: Callum Boa, Amy Gove, Ryan Taylor.

Excellence in S6: Gemma Boyd.

Pupils of the Year: Heather Gibson, Amy Gove, Craig Hadden, Francesca Hollinshead, Lauren Lynch, Meara O"Donnel-Webb, Ameen Rehman, Sonia Rehman, Ryan Taylor.

Lindsay Bauchope Dux Medalist: Eve Macdonald.

This article appeared in Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser 07 May 09

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