The Kingston Academy's first crop of students meet up at Kingston University event

Posted Thursday 9 July 2015

Kingston's new secondary school, which will open later this year, has welcomed its first cohort of students at an induction day held at Kingston University's Penrhyn Road campus. The Kingston Academy in north Kingston will open its doors this September to Year 7 pupils, who have been dubbed the ‘History Makers'.

In 2010, the Schools Adjudicator gave the go ahead to the Kingston Educational Trust - a partnership between Kingston University, Kingston College and Kingston Council - to establish a school in response to the significant need for fully-inclusive secondary places in the local area. After the Building Schools funding programme was abolished in 2012, the Kingston Educational Trust took the decision to bid for funding through the Free School process and was successful in May 2013.

Andy Hudson, associate dean (education partnerships) at Kingston University, said he was proud to represent the University in what was an exciting, and also extremely important, project. "We have all the makings of a great new school on our doorstep with so much potential for creative collaboration in the years ahead," he added.

Sophie Cavanagh, head teacher for The Kingston Academy, believes students at the new school will benefit greatly from the facilities available at Kingston University.At the induction day, staff and children worked together for the first time on a number of different activities including; designing and constructing model bridges, karate, a digital coding mission and building a collage of pupils and staff.

the Kingston Academy's head teacher Sophie Cavanagh described the day as momentous. "Having such a fantastic venue for our first induction day is testament to the partnership behind the school with Kingston University giving us access to their state-of-the-art facilities and staff," she said. "Our History Makers thoroughly enjoyed the diverse activities as well as getting to know their new teachers and fellow pupils."

Councillor Andrea Craig, lead member Children, Youth and Adult Learning, said she was delighted that The Kingston Academy, as the Borough's first free local secondary school, was opening with such resounding support from local families. "This school is going to provide great opportunities for north Kingston children through the unique Trust championed by Kingston University, Kingston College and Kingston Council," she confirmed.