In the early part of 2005, a series of public consultation events took place prior to the Academy being set up. A consultation booklet was distributed to local residents, primary and secondary schools, local community groups and other interested parties. Partnerships with local organisations also commenced. For further details, download a pdf of the Consultation Summary Report.

News

Throughout the project we kept our stakeholders informed of our progres by posting articles on the news page of our website.

We also published 'getting there' a newsletter specially designed to keep local groups up to speed with all our news. To download pdfs of these visit our newsletter archive.

We also produced a number of press releases. You can donwload pdfs of these by visiting the
press release archive.

School Design for the 21st century

Students at the John Madejski Academy benefit from some of the most modern and innovative facilities available in any school in the country. The design, an ‘exemplar’ building approved by the DfES, demonstrates the very latest in educational thinking.

The 21st-century design delivers the flexibility required for a school of the future. The Academy boasts flexible working areas, enabling new technologies to be used to maximum effect. Classrooms are equipped with innovative technology, freeing teachers to add a multi-media dimension to lessons. Students also have access to fast and reliable internet connections, allowing the possibility for national and international communications via video and web conferencing.

The range and variety of applications the studentshave access to include an array of audio-visual tools, allowing them to record and publish their work.

The Academy has a facility to use Anywhere, Anytime Learning Foundations which provide increased access to ICT outside the classroom by leasing laptops to families. This allows increased Home-Academy communication and provides additional support for students’ learning outside of Academy hours.

In line with the sports specialism of the Academy, there is also a wide range of top-class sporting facilities available, including a purpose-built sports hall. Other schools in the area, along with local people and community groups, will also benefit from the facilities on offer at the Academy.

Progress of the building work

Take a trip through time and view our archive of building work photos

Work commenced on site in November 2005 and completed in February 2007 for the first Phase. During this time, several presentations were made to the students explaining the building progress being made; the materials being used; the health & safety issues on a building site; opportunities in the construction industry as well as the opportunity for site visits.

Various steps were taken during the construction process to reduce the environmental impact. The contractor, Costain, had an Environmental Management Plan in place whereby the following measures were put in place:
• Reduction of noise at source
• Time controls on noisy operations, deliveries etc., i.e. within agreed working hours
• Avoided leaving unused equipment running and avoided use of radios
• Monitored noise levels to ensure levels were not exceeded
• Erection of Site Hoardings to minimise visual impact and reduce noise dust
• A number of trees on the site were protected for retaining within the final scheme

The fabric of the buildings

The facilities at the Academy are divided into four learning clusters together with an assembly/administration block, a dining block and a sports block, which are linked by a covered, environmentally protected street. The cluster buildings are a simple concrete frame and soffit, exposed to give thermal mass and improve the overall energy efficiency of the new school.

The external façade comprises of predominantly curtain walling with clear and opaque glazing. The elevations facing the agora are Eternit cementatious board with simple punched windows. The lower portion of the wall is pre-cast concrete panels; some of which have embossed sports figures on them highlighting the Academy's specialism. Roofs are a single layer polymeric design laid to a nominal fall. The agora roof has a slight barrel vaulted section which is covered with a clear ETFE printed with a dot matrix.

Each cluster building has a distinctive colour pattern with large blocks of opaque coloured glazing; the large blocks of colour on the nose of each building varies in hue. The opening vents to the flanks of the cluster buildings are horizontally stripped, also with colours varying from block to block. In the double height spaces on the corners of the clusters we have used triple glazing, with a woven stainless steel mesh within one of the voids. This gives an attractive shimmering quality as well as giving a level of solar shading and insulation.

Each entrance has a large panel with the cluster letter indicating the major discipline within each cluster. The graphics are screen printed coloured ceramic which is baked to the glass giving levels of opacity to the panel. Large clerestory windows bring light into the clusters' atria which in turn bring light in to the main backs of the classrooms. Generally the clusters of classrooms wrap around an atrium with these cluster buildings then arranged along the agora or covered street.

Using this model, we have been able to minimise the amount of corridors within the School, improving overall space and cost efficiency. The intention with this approach is to minimise the opportunities for vandalism, bullying and general misbehaviour often associated with long, dim corridors.

Although naturally ventilated, noise from classrooms and the nearby road had to be addressed. Attenuated trickle vents are installed to the perimeter of the classrooms. These are set just above the radiators so that cold air coming into the classroom is heated. Around the perimeter of the site a 2m high acoustic fence has been installed to reduce traffic noise. This fence has been set behind the existing hedge to reduce visual impact.

The Project Team

Visit the Project Team page for a comprehensive list of the John Madejski Academy Project Team

Key facts

School: Co-educational for 11 to 18 year olds + provision for a 6th form

Specialism: Sports

Sponsor: John Madejski, Chairman of Reading Football Club

Principal: Catherine Shaw

Open as an Academy: 4 September 2006 in predecessor school buildings

Move into new buildings: 26 February 2007

Size: The Academy will serve 1100 students.

History: Replaced Thamesbridge College

Operating hours: 07:00 to 23:00 Mon - Sun (16 hours/day, 112 hours/week)

Core Hours: 08:00 to 17:00 Mon - Fri (9 hours/day, 45 hours/week)

• Construction details

Decant works start date: 8 August 2005

Construction start date: 14 November 2005

Practical Completion of Main Phase 2 Works: 9 February 2007

Anticipated completion of Phase 3 - Sports Facilities: 6 December 2007

Contract Sum: £21,308,384

Capital Cash Limit: £27,656,303

Basic building cost: £2,264 per m2

Services costs: £438 per m2

External works: £121 per m2

BREEAM rating: Very Good (57.34%)

Building details

Total area of site: 5.4 hectares

Total gross floor area: 9564m2

Number of teaching spaces: 60

Total teaching area: 5964m2

Area of circulation: 1412m2

Area of storage: 620m2

Predicted utility usage: Download a pdf of our Energy Prediction for more details

Predicted water usage: 1.95m3/student/year (ie 10litres/student/day over 195 school days/year)

% of school grounds to be used by the community: 50

% of school buildings to be used by the community: 25