Abraham Darby Academy is located in Telford and is federated with Adams’ Grammar School for Boys. The lead Sponsor is Haberdashers educational charity and Telford & Wrekin Council is Co-Sponsor. 

Abraham Darby Academy successfully opened in Sept 08, on time and on budget. Appleyards successfully project managed this accelerated Academy which required extensive project and stakeholder management techniques to ensure resources were directed to the critical tasks. The project was awarded to Appleyards in October 07 giving just 10 months to prepare for opening.  We prepared easy to understand plans and programmes so all parties were aware of their responsibilities to remain on programme. The accelerated time scale only gave limited time for the Principal to prepare for opening so Appleyards education advisor worked closely with him in his previous school to develop all the educational deliverables. Due to the excellent work and support our Education Advisor continues to be employed by Abraham Darby Academy giving executive education support and challenge. 

Being the first Academy to be federated with a voluntary aided school presented a number of governance and legal complications. Appleyards, with the legal advisors, developed a unique governance model to enable the Sponsors’ vision of a hard federation with a single governing body between the Academy and Adams’ Grammar School.
 
Challenges/Achievements

Appleyards conducted a successful community consultation exercise on the Academy proposals. As a result of our initial consultation exercise there was a clear community desire and need for a Post 16 provision at the Academy. Within the accelerated timescales proposals for a Post 16 provision were developed, a further consultation period conducted and the plans to have a Post 16 provision from 2009 approved. The Post 16 consultation required sensitive management of the other local Post 16 providers who were concerned about the additional provision and how it would be integrated within the area provision. Appleyards managed the development of the Post 16 proposals with the Academy SLT and the consultation which was supported.  

The Academy new building is to be collocated with a Telford & Wrekin Council operated community swimming pool and Primary school. Appleyards led the design workshops on integrating the two schools and the leisure facilities to make best use of each other’s facilities and skills. The Sponsors and Academy Trust retained the project management and educational services post opening to assist with the Academy’s new building design and integration. It was a challenge to ensuring the three separate organisations, with differing needs all fully considered integrating with their collocation neighbours to make best use of the funding available. The integrated design allows each organisation to retain their independence and security but with the ability to utilise all the collective facilities.

Click here to view the video showing the design of the Abraham Darby Academy