New Teaching Block Officially Opened

At Hethersett Academy today the new build teaching block 'H Block' was officially opened by Lord Agnew. Staff and students have been excited to see the build take shape and have been looking forward to making use of the brand-new facilities.

At the heart of the new block is the brand-new dining hall, creating a central hub for the school, it gives students a place to reset and recharge on their break times, including a fantastic outdoor terrace area for use in the warmer months.

Assistant Principal ‑ Ethos and Enrichment, Mr Hilton said,

“This new block has created a central hub for our school and naturally brings the school campus together as a cohesive space. With indoor and outdoor seating for more than 500 people, we now have a wonderful social facility to complement our equally fantastic learning spaces; our whole school community will benefit from the opportunity to share a sit-down meal together, as well as having a brand new space to host a range of events and activities beyond lunchtimes. Hethersett students are so lucky to work and learn in such an inspiring environment.”

The house system has been incorporated into the decoration of the building, with the accent colour of each house used in the dining hall and corridors, enhancing the sense of community at the school.

New design and technology rooms on the ground floor create further opportunities in the curriculum with purpose-built resistant materials and graphics classrooms for students to thrive in. There are classrooms on every floor of the three-storey block which provide more space and ensure an environment that is purpose-built for learning.

Head of DT, Mrs Finlay said,

“The new Graphics studio and D&T workshop will enable us to give pupils the space and opportunity to grow their passion for our subject. Many D&T spaces were designed for our subject prior to CAD/CAM and multimedia rooms.  We are so excited to be able to add these fantastic resources and facilities for our pupils"

With sustainability and the environment in mind, the new build is net-zero and fully electric, including the canteen where gas has been completely removed in favour of electric cooking methods. Heating is provided by an air source heat pump and breathing building system that promote good air flow and temperature throughout. Solar panels were also installed on the building to generate electricity for the school, reducing energy bills.

Principal, Ms Diver said,

“The addition of this building has made our site feel more connected than ever and is going to be of great benefit to our students at Hethersett Academy. Now we have the space we need to deliver the best education possible for all our students.

We are so excited to start using our new block in its full capacity, a huge thank you to all that have been involved in the project for realising our vision and delivering fantastic facilities for our students.”

The building will continue to provide new opportunities for students and support the academy.