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The school, which is currently under construction in Mountsteven
Avenue, Walton, Peterborough, successfully secured the necessary
£50,000 sponsorship from local businesses and The Specialist Schools
Trust Partnership Fund.
An assessment, conducted between
October and December, included a visit from the DfES and today
(Thursday 1 February) a Ministerial announcement has confirmed that
the new flagship school will have specialist Media Arts status when
it opens in September.
Malcolm Groves, chair of Voyager’s
temporary governing body, said: “For a brand new school to have
achieved specialist status at the first attempt is a real
achievement. It reflects real recognition for the quality of the
leadership team we have working to establish our new school.
“It also brings real opportunity for
all our students to achieve and learn in an exciting and imaginative
new environment. That represents real potential for our local
communities and for Peterborough as a whole to benefit from the
city’s first fully specialist arts and media school. We are all
absolutely thrilled by this news. It’s a fantastic start to our
launch year!”
Deputy head teacher Moira Green
added: “We are thrilled to have succeeded in securing specialist
media arts status for The Voyager School and the surrounding
community. Our plans are ambitious and we are looking forward to
travelling ‘above and beyond’ in our achievements.”
The Voyager aims to:
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Be a world-class school at the
forefront of innovation and education in media arts
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Inspire, engage and enthuse all
students with a love of learning through the arts
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Be a centre of arts and cultural
excellence that will enrich local and global communities
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Equip students and local
residents with key employment skills, creating leaders for the
future
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Raise the aspirations of
students and prepare them to become fully participating citizens
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Stimulate the creation of an
‘Artsmark golden cluster’ of schools with a high level of
provision in the arts that will demonstrate excellence in the
provision of arts education.
Ms Green added: “We will be working
with our partner schools and the community to develop a wide range
of exciting opportunities for the people of north Peterborough. This
will take us one step nearer to establishing a centre of excellence
that will inspire young people and the community to strive for the
highest standards.
“The Voyager School has a very
diverse catchment area and we wish to build on this, draw strength
from our rich cultural diversity and help all our students nurture a
passion and appreciation for the arts and media literacy in this
digital age.
“We are committed to finding
innovative ways in which media and arts can be used in other areas
of the curriculum to set and maintain high standards of learning and
teaching.”
Voyager head teacher Hugh Howe said:
“This success provides clear and explicit evidence of our ability to
create opportunities for students, staff and our community of
learners in the exciting field of media arts.
“It recognises that we are about to
start a new school and educate students in an environment that is
safe and stimulating and where learning and teaching will
confidently move towards the achievement of excellence for all. This
is a very proud day for all associated with The Voyager School.”
Peterborough City Council’s director
of children’s services Mohammed Mehmet said: “The impact of media
and arts on every aspect of life means that this achievement offers
exciting opportunities for The Voyager’s students and staff and for
Peterborough’s wider community. It offers further diversity in the
range of schools with specialist status in Peterborough.
“I congratulate the Voyager team on
their remarkable achievement in winning specialist status before the
school has even opened.”
Cabinet member for Education and
Children’s Services Councillor Geoff Ridgway added: “This success
provides further substance for our ambitions to provide high quality
opportunities for learning so that our young people will make a full
contribution to the city’s future success.”
February 2007 -
Peterborough UK Community Website |
