Q3 Academy is a new build secondary school for 1000 students and 250 sixth formers, it occupies a challenging sloping greenbelt site located alongside the M6 motorway in Sandwell. It was one of 3 new city academies within Sandwell complementing Sandwell’s BSF Programme. An overview of outstanding data was presented at monthly design team meetings to the contractor to ensure that programme was maintained. Closure of the existing school was a very sensitive issue, one that generated strong public opinion especially with a change of school name. To overcome anxieties, EllisWilliams led initiatives for public open evenings, stakeholder presentations and student workshops to assist in answering questions and ensure that the community became part of the process and took ownership of their new building. We facilitated workshop sessions with students to decide upon the name of the new Academy, the new uniform design, and the new school badge. All events were well attended, very successful and the project proceeded with full support of all stakeholders.

Award: Winner of IStruct Midlands Education Building of the Year