After what has been a prolonged and anxious wait, Longbenton Community College received the fantastic news in 2014 that a new school building was on the horizon, to create state of the art facilities and accommodation for the students and staff of the school. Following a two-year process of design, demolition and construction, the new build will be complete and ready to open for the new school year beginning in September 2016. With that date rapidly approaching, there have been a multitude of visits, meetings and open days, for staff, students and the wider community to showcase the new facilities.
A new school has been a long-awaited dream of both staff and students at Longbenton. The current multi-block buildings will be replaced by one large complex, boasting current facilities of high quality and specification. It will span over two floors with varied classrooms to suit a range of purposes. The Art and Science rooms are large and spacious, with clean-cut edges and specialised equipment. The layout of the building forms an ‘E’ shape, with the dining area forming the heart of the school, surrounded by towering glass walls and views onto the sports fields. Gone will be the leaking roof of East Theatre. In its place will sit a spacious main hall with bleacher seating; perfect for assemblies and the fascinating annual drama performances held at the school.
Students bid farewell to the large and rather chilly sports hall and CLC back in late 2014, with the demolition of these buildings making room for the building work to begin. Now, in their place, stands the crisp glass doors that will welcome students, staff and visitors to the school. Upon entrance, visitors will see the sixth form centre to the left, next to the vaulted ceilinged library. To their right will sit offices and meeting rooms on the corridor towards the specialist Melrose Centre. The students of the Melrose Centre will have access to a new sensory room, and a range of therapy rooms designed to support their learning and make their school day enjoyable. A main hall will lead students to the centre of the building; the dining area. The ground floor will also house Enquire classrooms, the Drama studio and the large, well equipped PE facilities. A progression to the second floor can be made via one of five staircases, and houses Communicate classrooms, ICT suites and STEM classrooms, as well as work areas for Music lessons and staff work spaces.
The new build will be vastly different to the aging facilities of the old school building. The final stage of this major new development will be the completion of outdoor facilities once the old East and West blocks are demolished in late 2016. This is to include specialist sports fields, with newly laid grass and outdoor social areas.
So, finally, after much hard work and dedicated planning from the builders, Galliford Try, and our head teacher, Mr Quinn, as well as a team of financial advisors, architects and, of course, school staff, the new build is ahead of schedule and expected to be completely finished by the end of August. To coincide with our move, the school will be subject to a change of name from Longbenton Community College to Longbenton High School. New uniforms and logos will complete this transformation.
Mr Quinn, head teacher at Longbenton, said, “I am so excited that our new school is almost ready. The people of the area deserve this fantastic facility, this multi-million pound investment into the community. Our old buildings have served us well but they are tired, dated and ever more difficult to maintain. I cannot wait for us all to be in one brand new building, filled with natural light and intelligent ventilation; it will bring about much greater togetherness and sense of belonging. That is why we have rebranded and chose the circle of different colours to show how different parts come together to make one inclusive whole. Finally, apologies to the students and parents for the longer summer break that this move means for you but it will be well worth it when you come back on Thursday, 8th of September.”
Years of patience, dedication and hard work, from staff and students, has paid off and the future for Longbenton looks brighter than ever! The best of luck is wished to all staff and students, past, present and future, for their part in Longbenton Community College’s journey. Special thanks are also given to the Education Funding Agency, Galliford Try and AHR Architects, for their part in giving our school a well-deserved new beginning.
By Amy D and Amon