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New Building Opens

There was much excitement at KSA this morning as the Academy welcomed pupils into its new £28m building for the first time.

It marks an important milestone for KSA, which opened as an academy three years ago and is sponsored by the Brooke Weston Trust.

The new building boasts some impressive features - a 450-seat theatre, purpose built dance and drama studios, a sports hall built to Sport England standards, a design area that includes CAD/CAM technology and music rooms that are linked up for recording.

The two-story building is divided into departments which are linked to a central courtyard bearing the inscription:  'Give me a place to stand and I will move the Earth - Archimedes.'

Classrooms are designed for smaller class sizes and the building uses glass throughout to maximise light and to create a sense of openness. There is also a swipe card system which acts as an automatic register for pupils and each department is furnished with the latest IT.

In the main entrance, visitors are greeted by a giant periodic table created by gifted and talented pupils over the last year. They were given an element to research and then had to design a tile to reflect its properties. 

Principal Martin Campbell said: "This is an historic day for Kettering Science Academy.  This new building will enable pupils and staff to work in an environment fit for 21st Century learning. It is the beginning of a new chapter in the life of KSA."

As pupils return to the Academy this week, a group of Year 11s who have been given the role as ambassadors will help their younger peers find their way around and settle in.

Year 11 pupil Charlie Massie said she was looking forward to working in the new building. She said: "I think as soon as you walk in, your attitude changes towards learning. It feels more professional."

Sonan Seroye agreed, saying: "I was looking forward to coming and seeing what it's like. It's modern and feels like a business; I think it will prepare people for when they're older and they go into the workplace.

"A lot of money has been spent on the building - there's a lot more technology for interactive learning and the theatre will be really good for assemblies."

The building has been designed so that the theatre and other facilities available for community use can be kept open while the rest of the Academy is closed off. The primary phase has also undergone refurbishment over the course of the summer.

Click here to listen to a feature on the new build on BBC Radio Northampton.