The Bristol Technology and Engineering Academy (BTE Academy) being constructed on the site of the former Filton High School in New Road, Stoke Gifford, has reached a significant milestone with a “topping out” event being held to mark the building reaching its highest point.
Once complete, the building will house large workshop areas needed for increased levels of vocational project work as well as smaller classrooms, laboratory areas and indoor sports facilities. Externally, there will be a multi-use sports area and parkland where ecological studies can be undertaken.
Speaking about the Academy, College Principal, Rhian Priest said:
“Applications for the academy have far exceeded our expectations and we will be full when we open in September 2013. I look forward to welcoming students from a wide catchment area which covers from Weston-super-Mare in the South to Dursley in the north of the region.”
“I am also delighted that we have appointed two new members to the Academy’s senior team, Mark Kennedy as Vice Principal and Joseph Mulligan as Assistant Principal.”
Construction firm Willmott Dixon in the South West is delivering the £6.8 million development. Neal Stephens, managing director of Willmott Dixon in the South West, said:
“We are pleased to have reached such a significant milestone on time and on budget.”
“This is an exciting project, the first of its kind in the South West, and will provide top quality facilities for young people in Bristol to study engineering and sustainable technologies. The new academy will help develop the city’s existing reputation in these fields, as well as boosting employment opportunities in these growing sectors.”
“At this point in the build, it becomes a lot easier for future students and staff to get a clearer idea of what the academy will look like. It is traditional to mark the highest point of the build and we look forward to celebrating the topping out with all the partners who have made this possible.”
The state-of-the art academy will open in September 2013 to educate young people who are interested in a career in the engineering or environmental technology sectors.
The academy recently announced that, due to the high number of applications received, its Pupil Admission Number (PAN) had been increased from 120 students to 132 students for Year 10.
Total student numbers in the first year are now expected to be in the region of 220-250, split between KS4 and KS5.
The next BTE Academy open event is being held on Wednesday 15th May at the Bristol and Bath Science Park, Emersons Green.
I do hope they take all that are applying from the local area first then from outside .
Have just found out they are not going for local people first that’s so wrong