Official Opening Day
Former Paralympic swimmer Tim Reddish CBE, who was also Chairman of the British Paralympic Association during the 2012 London Paralympics, unveiled a plaque and cut a ribbon to open Bowman Academy officially today in front of pupils, and school and Trust staff and other special guests, “It’s a privilege and honour to be part of the official opening of such a fantastic facility. I’m sure that the school will provide a positive environment for pupils, and the staff who will provide enriched specialist learning that supports the development of self believe.”
A time capsule was also buried at the event containing items such as drawings from the pupils, photos, a dated newspaper and other items to reflect the year 2024.
Bowman Academy provides a tailored curriculum designed to prepare pupils to be confident, successful and resilient individuals who make outstanding progress and are prepared for life after school. The school also offers a wide range of therapies and extra-curricular activities to provide outstanding personal development opportunities and outcomes.
Ashley Caress, Executive Headteacher at Bowman Academy, said: “We are proud of this new school. Bowman Academy has been specifically designed to the needs of children with SEMH difficulties. Our pupils have an environment that is safe, functional, and comfortable for them to learn in.”
Peter Bell, CEO of CIT said: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the DfE, Leicestershire County Council and Bowmer + Kirkland for working with us to provide such a fantastic building.
Bowman Academy is purpose built for SEMH learning and all the painstaking work that has taken place from all key stakeholders in this has been extremely worthwhile.
This school will provide facilities to offer an exceptional learning experience for pupils in Leicestershire for years to come.”
Cllr Deborah Taylor, cabinet member for Children and Families at Leicestershire County Council, said: “We are so pleased to see Bowman Academy open and welcoming pupils. The facilities are fantastic; they’re sustainable and modern and provide a great environment to both learn and teach in.
“The school provides much-needed specialist places here in Leicestershire and is part of our work to ensure specialist provision is available to our children and young people, as close to their homes as possible.
“Being the first pupils to attend a new school really is a special thing; I hope everyone who attends enjoys their time learning, developing and making new friends.”
The school was built using more sustainable methods, where ‘modules’ are constructed off-site and then assembled and installed on-site. This reduces waste, meaning less transportation is needed and uses renewable materials.
Helen Bedford, Social Value Manager at Bowmer + Kirkland which built the school on behalf of the Department for Education (DFE): “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with CIT and the Bowman staff on this project.
On the project we generated over 1.6m pounds worth of social, local and economic value. This included 44% of the labour coming from within a 30mile radius, 13 apprentices and trainees on site, site visits from Loughborough Uni, a local spend of 1.5m, and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 16 tons.
We look forward to continued engagement with the school and their pupils.”
Main Picture: Cllr Deborah Taylor. Ted Walker – Head of Strategy education sufficiency (LCC). James Ellis – Director of SEND Education (CIT). Ashley Caress – Executive Headteacher Bowman Academy. Helen Drew-Bradley – Vice Chair of the Trust Board (CIT). Peter Bell – CEO (CIT). Tim Reddish CBE. Julian Kennett – DfE Project Director. Toby Ellis – Head of School Bowman Academy. Shane Jones – B&K Site Manager. Helen Bedford – B&K Social Value Manager. Danielle Smith – DfE Project Lead from Regions Group. Alison Bradley – Assistant Director of education, SEND and commissioning (LCC). Jane Moore – Director of children and families (LCC). Cllr Christine Radford.
