Progress on new Bexhill High

Now Bexhill High school principal Mike Conn is watching it all come true as the new Bexhill High school takes shape on its site in Gunters Lane.

Mike call this his "career's dream" - the creation of a new and different school of the future which will open to youngsters the chance to learn in a way that suits the individual, whatever the need.

January saw the first step in the development of the school which is being built by Kier Longley under the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Pupils have been involved in every step of the planning process and even got the chance to start off the actual build. Armed with spades and dressed in hard hats and jackets, they dug out the first pieces of turf in an opening ceremony attended by members of the county council, local community and site management. The work itself started in earnest during the first week of January. Since then the enormous project has gathered pace and the skeleton of the building has now been erected.

Site manager Ian Saunders commented: "The construction project is progressing well with the reinforced concrete works well on the way and the science and technology steel frame due to commence this week. Once the frame has been completed the faade or envelope works consisting of a rainscreen cladding and curtain wall glazing will commence at a similar time to that of the roof and to enable us to be weather tight."

The new school will not feature traditional classrooms and long corridors but instead will have a number of learning zones arranged around a large, central open space. This design supports a range of teaching and learning approaches. The building will also include several sustainable technologies to help substantially reduce its carbon footprint.

It is hoped that construction work will be completed by autumn 2010.

Mike commented: "It is just unfolding before our eyes. The vision is becoming a reality in terms of the build. The challenge for the school which we are presented with now is to prepare staff for a complete change in the way we manage children's learning."

He is looking forward to a different approach which no longer relies on a classroom full of pupils listening to information given by a teacher.

Mike looked back to his own past experience when thinking about the future of Bexhill High.

"I thought about what was really successful for me as a child. I remember Mrs Payne - she would have three or four of us little ones on her lap, and somehow she managed our learning to suit us. She knew her children. There were 30 of us in the class but she used to do the things which helped us to learn. We need to go back to that nurturing way... with that sense of ownership of each child's success."

The massive new building will comprise eight learning pods which each will be able to take 90 students, a technology faculty, arts and sports, a double heigh art room, science and research centre, and community theatre, built around a wide atrium where students, staff and visitors will be able to relax, eat, hold meetings, or just sit quietly and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

The other part of the 38 million scheme is the creation of a Vocational Skills Centre in Down Road for youngsters who will have be able to experience in a hands-on way what might be their professional work in the future.

"The vocational skills centre will provide a wonderful opportunity for those children that like to learn in that way. There will be the catering side to it with a professional chef school, a hair and beauty salon, and then the building and construction side, which will include everything from brick laying to painting and decorating, and plumbing.

"We are looking to have a smooth transition, and we are working very much on Key Stage 3 being a two year period... so that by the end of Year 8, students will be allowed to embark on a three year Key Stage 4, which opens up their range of options dramatically.

"Under the new model they will get at least two years. The very bright students will be able to work at a rapid pace, while the ones who need more time will be able to work at their own speed."

Mike has committed to staying on as principal for five years so that he can settle the new school in before retirement, but for now he is watching the structure grow by the day and looking ahead to the future.

He added: "I am over the moon. I don't know how to describe it. No head could have wanted anything better - to be able to say we really are going to provide for every child, and not just be saying it but being able to do it."