'Exciting' era is on horizon for school
Proposals to demolish Brownhills Maths and Computing College and build a new academy were put out for public consultation yesterday.
The plans are part of the Government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, with Brownhills one of seven Stoke-on-Trent high schools due to close to make way for five academies.
Burslem-based The Co-operative Travel will sponsor the new academy.
Its business expertise will be built into the academy's curriculum to support the options of Business Studies, Travel and Tourism BTec and the new diploma in Travel and Tourism.
Headteacher Andrew Stanier told The Sentinel said: "One of the areas which the school wants to expand is its sports facilities and the BSF programme will help us to do this.
"We will also be getting an additional specialism in business to make us an academy specialising in maths, computing and business.
"We also want to retain some of the traditional elements from the current building to incorporate the old into the new if it's practical to do so. This is the start of something very exciting for the school."
Brownhills is set to become an academy from September 2010 and it is hoped pupils will move into a purpose-built building during 2013.
The school currently has the capacity for 750 pupils with 698 now on its roll but this will increase to 1,200 when it becomes an academy.
The new facility is likely to be a mix of two and three-storey buildings with improved access off Brownhills Road.
Proposals also include the improvement of the sport pitches at Trubshaw Cross.
Gina Corbett and her partner Andrew Bullock live on Ullswater Avenue and were at the consultation.
Miss Corbett, aged 37, said: "I think the academy will be a real asset to the community."
Mr Bullock, aged 40, added: "Anything that improves the school and the education for the children has got to be a good thing.
"My only concern was about the disruption the new build may cause, as my son Callum is in his first year at the school, but I've been reassured disruption will be kept to a minimum."
Julia Nixon, aged 43, who lives on Davenport Street, said: "The plans look good. I just hope the appearance of the building will remain attractive and not look too modern and out of place."
Joanne Zyskowski, aged 37, also from Davenport Street, added: "I'm concerned about the extra traffic that might result if the amount of pupils nearly doubles but overall I'm pleased with how the plans look and the benefits an academy will have."
Tracy Penrose, BSF project director, said: "The beginning of the process has got off to a good start and we are getting lots of positive feedback.
"The unique thing about the Brownhills academy is that it is being sponsored by a major employer which has a big ethos in terms of community work."
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DEMOLITION PROPOSAL: Brownhills Maths and Computing College.
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