Sheffield, June 2006. Work is now well underway on the new multi-million pound Sheffield Springs and Sheffield Park Academies, which will replace Myrtle Springs School and Waltheof School respectively. Both Academies are sponsored by the United Learning Trust (ULT), through the generosity of its benefactor, The Khayami Foundation, who was introduced to the scheme by a senior representative of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
The two new Sheffield Academies will open intheir existing schools in September 2006, before transferring to new state-of-the-art accommodation, which is currently under construction on the East Bank Road and Beaumont Close sites. Among the new facilities will be ICT learning resource centres, multi-purpose halls and dance and drama studios, facilities for digital arts and textiles and extensive indoor and outdoor sporting facilities. A special emphasis of both Academies will be Inter-Religious Relations relations.
To help celebrate the start of works, special ‘turf cutting’ ceremonies were held at both sites on Wednesday 14 June 2006, and conducted by Mr Mahmoud Khayami, Founder of The Khayami Foundation and a Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I within the British & Irish Delegation.
Sheffield City Council’s new cabinet member for Children’s Services, Cllr Harry Harpham, ULT Chief Executive Sir Ewan Harper, HE Mr Anthony Bailey,Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations Relations of the Constantinian Order and ULT Board Member, andformer Minister of Schools Mr Stephen Twigg also participated.
Commenting on the Academy project, Cllr Harpham said: “This £56million expenditure is a welcome investment into the education and support of our young people, in some of the neighbourhoods that need it most. It’s right that Sheffield children have access to a top quality learning environment. Sheffield children deserve the best and this opportunity is the best”.
Commenting on the start of works, David Lewis said: “With the Sheffield Academies, we have a real opportunity to create and develop new schools which are ideally placed to answer the needs of their communities and develop young adults with the skills, qualifications and the enthusiasm for the regeneration of this area. In the coming months, we will be focusing on creating an environment in which both Academies can flourish.
”I am delighted also that the benefactor of both the Sheffield ULT academies, Mr Mahmoud Khayami and senior representatives of the Constantinian Order has been able to attend the turf cutting ceremony. Their commitment to inter-religious dialogue and understanding among the followers of all faiths as well Mr Khayami’s historic contribution to industry and education at home and abroad are well known”.
Sir Ewan Harper also said, how “profoundly grateful” the United Learning Trust was to HE Mr Anthony Bailey, Constantinian Delegate, and to the Order as a whole, for their considerable hands-on support and commitment to the project over the past year and a half.
Academies are all-ability inclusive schools, offering high quality education with state-of-the-art facilities, strong community involvement and a broad and balanced curriculum that is enhanced by a chosen specialism. Like other mainstream schools, Academies are expected to admit students with special educational needs and disabilities as appropriate and are required to comply with admissions law and the admissions Code of Practice. They are free of charge to all students and open to students of all faiths or none.