Stirling House Campus

As the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy becomes closer to beginning work and ultimately moving into our multi-million pound Maritime House Campus, I am using this time to reflect. To reflect on our experiences, our shared beliefs and our vision for the future.

Tonight, I am reminded of my visit with Irene Carney to Abington Vale's Stirling House Campus in Northampton. The campus hit the news (link here) in 2013, when it became the first time Northamptonshire County Council developed a commercial building for use as a school.

At the time of opening, The school's business manager, Georgie Harrison, said: "It is a new initiative in the country, but it's very common practice in Scandinavian countries and the States to turn offices and shopping malls into schools. When we took the whole staff down to Stirling House, we were all really amazed by the space and the light".

During our visit, Irene Carney and myself saw flexible, open teaching facilities with informal break-out spaces and group rooms, designed for individual and group based learning.

This space, which shared many design features with our Maritime House Campus was light, spacious and had accommodation for up to 210 pupils.