On day three of our special series of reports, features editor Joni Ager looks at the changing face of our schools.


In September, north Northamptonshire will see its first academy open to pupils.

Corby Business Academy is a brand new school being built to replace Corby Community College with the aim of raising results by working to practices at its partner school Brooke Weston.

The pictures seen here are the first glimpse inside the new academy for most parents and pupils.

Yet 10 years ago, academies had never been heard of. It is just one example of the changing face of our schools.

Similarly, 10 years ago specialist schools where just an idea, yet now a good proportion of our secondary schools have become specialist schools in different subject areas.

Diplomas are also a new concept in education. A decade ago, students would all go down the GCSE route at age 14. Now many will be offered diplomas which offer a more vocational course in different areas of industry.

Here we take a look at some of the major changes affecting our schools.


Specialist schools

There are almost 3,000 specialist schools across the country.

Northamptonshire has its fair share – Huxlow Science College in Irthlingborough, Manor School and Sports College in Raunds and Lodge Park Technology College in Corby, to name a few.

But what exactly is a specialist school?

Specialist schools have a focus on the subjects relating to their chosen specialism and they receive additional funding to provide superior facilities for that specialism. Schools can choose to specialise in one or more of 10 different subjects.

County councillor for children and young people Joan Kirkbride said: "I think diversity in schools is absolutely vital to give parents a good choice of where they want to send their child.

"Every child is different – some might flourish in art and design schools while others may flourish in another school.

"Specialist schools are very good. they give children with specialist talents a chance to develop these skills and make use of the facilities.

"What we are finding now is schools are working together. I was at Ferrers Specialist Arts College last week and they had sixth formers there from the whole area because students can move between schools for the very best combination of A levels and expert facilities.

"No school is an island."


Academies

Corby Business Academy will open for its first term this September.

The academy will replace Corby Community College and will be the sister school of Brooke Weston City Technology College, which consistently tops the school league tables.

Academy principal Dr Andrew Campbell said: "There was some fear in the community that the school was going to be a new school only for people who live in the new development at Priors Hall.

"What I really want to emphasise is the admission policy for the school is all about making sure students from Corby who go to Corby Community College, and future students from across Corby, will come here.

"I see this as a brand new school.

"It is an opportunity to build on the excellent work of the community college but to provide facilities on this site that were not possible before.

"We are not just moving house, we are looking to try new things and in particular to make the day-to-day experience of being in school more similar to that of the adult workplace."

The school already has a full intake for September's Year 7 and 360 people listed the academy as a preference.

The building is divided into five faculties – maths and IT; communication; physical and natural science; business, humanities and ethics, and art, music and design.

Each faculty has its own communal area, classrooms, study rooms and toilets, and all rooms have glass walls to create an open and safe space for students. Lunchtimes will also be staggered for each year group so pupils feel safe moving around the school.

A sixth faculty will be an area for students will special needs, funded by the county council.

Dr Campbell said: "Many of the ideas in the new academy are based on successful operations at Brooke Weston but we have listened and learned from our colleagues at Corby Community College.

"People have put a huge amount of faith in the new school and it is up to us to deliver."

Two Kettering schools – Ise Community College and Montagu School – are also being considered for conversion to academies.


Diplomas

From September next year students will have the choice of taking a practical course instead of GCSEs.

Twelve groups of schools will be offering the diplomas from 2009 including two from Corby, one in East Northamptonshire and two from Kettering.

Diplomas can be taken in creative and media, construction and built environment, information technology, society health and development, and engineering.

Chris Ripper, of the Learning Skills Council, said: "Businesses want new employees to possess not only the functional skills – maths, English and IT – but also behaviour skills such as thinking and personal learning skills.

"Employers can get involved by creating partnerships offering shadowing experiences, providing mentoring or classroom inputs or by sharing 'real' case study materials."

Paul Martin, of Latimer Arts College in Barton Seagrave, says the diplomas are a great way to offer young people beneficial work experience.

He said: "It gives students experience of businesses in their own environment. It is vital the right students are placed with the right companies and do the right jobs.

"Over a period of two years a student will get around 50 days' work experience."