Designing the new Academy

Joinedupdesign for Academies Programme

Summary

As part of transforming John Bunyan Upper School into the Bedford Academy in September 2010 and the subsequent construction of new buildings, the sponsors of the Academy have partnered with the Sorrell Foundation and the University of Northampton to participate in their Joinedupdesign for Academies programme. We have therefore asked for students from John Bunyan and the feeder Abbey and Harrowden middle schools to get involved to form the Bedford Academy Pupil Client Team.

The Joinedupdesign for Academies programme is a joint research and development project between Partnerships for Schools and The Sorrell Foundation with University of the Arts, London. The project is funded by the Department for Children Schools and Families. The aim of the research is to give young people a say in Academy developments and explore methodologies that will help transform Academies as places of learning.

The programme will create an engagement between client teams of pupils and design students at university that results in the publication of a Pupils’ Brief to inform architects, sponsors and local authorities what pupils want their academies to be like.

The process highlights the key issues that pupils see as important in the design of their school and also presents concepts and ideas for consideration. The Pupils’ Brief also describes ways in which the pupil client team can remain engaged throughout the development process.

Through this engagement, pupils and students can acquire valuable transferable skills, such as problem-solving, teamworking and communication, that help to develop their self-esteem and confidence.

The Pupil Client Team

The pupil client is a group of up to 16 young people who will represent the views of the existing school community about what they want in their new Academy.

The pupil client team will be supported in this by Joinedupdesign for Academies team and a dedicated team of undergraduate design students from the University of Northampton. They will attend a number of sessions throughout the Spring term, both at the University of Northampton, at John Bunyan school and at other locations.

The 12 common issues consistently identified by pupils in ‘Joinedupdesignforschools’ workshops over the last 7 years.

Further details of the programme are available at www.thesorrellfoundation.com/bsf.html