The Latest News
Grand Designs
24th February 2023
I am a great fan of those television programmes where a brave person or couple decide to invest their life savings into a derelict building or building plot with the dream - usually to be undertaken by the next Christmas - to turn rubble into their lifelong home. As we know, all too often building schedules extend, money dries up so a number of compromises have to be made, glazing is held up and relationships fragment. It makes interesting viewing for us, but more often than not, a tale of trauma for those literally wading through the process. Whilst they might not want to repeat the process ever again, the sense of pride at the achievement and their accomplishment always very significant.
I am sure by now many of you are aware that we are in the pre-opening phase of a new Maths School - Surrey Maths School - a phase that I have been involved in since 2018. In many senses, we are part of our own episode of Grand Designs, with the Kevin McCloud piece to camera at the end, still some way off. We have a fantastic building, exciting draft plans taking shape, the commitment and support of the University of Surrey and a Steering Group, but we are still working through the hurdles a project such as this creates. The result we are still not clear whether we are aiming for a September 2024 or September 2025 opening date.
Having been involved in a school building project before, it is very easy to see the process as one where we replicate what we have always done but with new and better facilities, and equipment. It is important however, not to let the opportunities a fairly blank piece of paper will provide us with and not to lose sight of the fact that we can create something new and innovative. As a trust, we clearly articulate our wish to be brave innovators – this is our opportunity to demonstrate how brave we might be. Alongside our responsibility for our 200 students, Surrey Maths School will also have a clear responsibility and funding to support outreach activities for KS2-5 pupils across our region and for us to promote and enhance maths and wider STEM subjects to all.
This is where the school will have a very real opportunity to add value to the landscape of Guildford and beyond and provide a further opportunity for our children to thrive and develop and to become the brave innovators they themselves have the ability to become.
Andrew Roach, Director of Education, Learning Partners
I am a great fan of those television programmes where a brave person or couple decide to invest their life savings into a derelict building or building plot with the dream - usually to be undertaken by the next Christmas - to turn rubble into their lifelong home. As we know, all too often building schedules extend, money dries up so a number of compromises have to be made, glazing is held up and relationships fragment. It makes interesting viewing for us, but more often than not, a tale of trauma for those literally wading through the process. Whilst they might not want to repeat the process ever again, the sense of pride at the achievement and their accomplishment always very significant.
I am sure by now many of you are aware that we are in the pre-opening phase of a new Maths School - Surrey Maths School - a phase that I have been involved in since 2018. In many senses, we are part of our own episode of Grand Designs, with the Kevin McCloud piece to camera at the end, still some way off. We have a fantastic building, exciting draft plans taking shape, the commitment and support of the University of Surrey and a Steering Group, but we are still working through the hurdles a project such as this creates. The result we are still not clear whether we are aiming for a September 2024 or September 2025 opening date.
Having been involved in a school building project before, it is very easy to see the process as one where we replicate what we have always done but with new and better facilities, and equipment. It is important however, not to let the opportunities a fairly blank piece of paper will provide us with and not to lose sight of the fact that we can create something new and innovative. As a trust, we clearly articulate our wish to be brave innovators – this is our opportunity to demonstrate how brave we might be. Alongside our responsibility for our 200 students, Surrey Maths School will also have a clear responsibility and funding to support outreach activities for KS2-5 pupils across our region and for us to promote and enhance maths and wider STEM subjects to all.
This is where the school will have a very real opportunity to add value to the landscape of Guildford and beyond and provide a further opportunity for our children to thrive and develop and to become the brave innovators they themselves have the ability to become.
Andrew Roach, Director of Education, Learning Partners
