Skinners School for Girls
"Skinners" is currently an all girls school on a split site. In September 2010 students will transfer to the new premises nearby and become Skinners Academy, a co-educational establishment on a single site.
Headteacher, Jenny Wilkins, wants to support her girls in making the transition. This year's year 8 girls will be in year 11 when the Academy opens, the eldest yeargroup in a school with a new identiy and an unfamiliar building. To assist the girls in settling in their new surroundings as quickly as possible, Ms Wilkins asked for an off-timetable day to be organised.
The overall vision for the day - known as 'Action Academy' - was to lead all year 8 pupils in envisioning their new Academy and, in doing so, to impart a sense of ownership over it. Mr Greeny and a team of 6 associate teachers arranged and delivered numerous activities split into 2 broad themes, being a sustainable school and life as a community hub.
In the morning, girls learned about what it means to be a sustainable school and spent time coming up with hundreds of eco-ideas for Skinners Academy. The Academy's architect was on hand to look over their ideas and take them back to his project team. [You can download a copy of the students' suggestions in the file below.]
Between the morning and afternoon activities, students gathered into small groups for a circle time session. The discussion centred around the girls' hopes and anxieties of becoming a new school with a new identity. In this secure environment, students felt comfortable sharing their concerns and encouraging one another to see the positive side.
When Skinners Academy opens it will play a central role in the Woodberry Down community, offering adult education, leisure activities and jobs. The last few hours of Action Academy were given to a project. In teams of 4, girls were asked to play the roles of community manager, marketing manager, architect and programme coordinator at the planned community hub within Skinners Academy. Teams devised thorough programmes of activities to meet the needs of the community - from cultural sessions to sport and physical activities to language and maths classes. Once their programme, marketing and building designs were complete, teams presented their ideas to a panel of critics including the Academy Project Manager and the Headteacher.
In 2009 and 2010, as the girls get closer to making the transition, we will be back to continue supporting them.
Download all the students' ideas mapped on to the 8 doorways of sustainable schools