Kensington Aldridge Academy

Kensington Aldridge Academy (KAA) is a mixed secondary school located in the North Kensington area of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in London, England. it occupies land formerly considered to be part of the Lancaster West Estate.

It is an academy sponsored by Aldridge Education, a multi-academy trust established by Sir Rod Aldridge's charity the Aldridge Foundation. KAA opened in September 2014,^[1] and was officially opened by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge in January 2015.^[2]

The Academy's sixth form opened in September 2016.^[3]

History

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea had a shortage of school places and it was tentative suggested during the “Towards Preferred Options Core Strategy and the North Kensington Plan” consultations in July 2008, that the “Kensington Sports Centre Key Site” was a possible site. The Kensington Sports Centre already existed but was in need of refurbishment, and the it was thought that the two could share the same site. Even at this early stage is recognised that space available fell far short of the governments recommended requirements, and further open space needed to be obtained. ^[4]

On 17th November 2008 the ‘Family and Children’s Services Oversight and Scrutiny Committee Working Group On Secondary Provision In North Kensington’ recommended the Lancaster West site for a proposed new academy. Consultants,'Urban Initiatives'were appointed in January 2009 to carry out a masterplanning study of the Notting Barns South area, with a view to large scale regeneration of the council owned estates. The report, known as the Latimer Plan, or the Notting Barns South Masterplan made wide recommendation for relocating facilities, demolishing building such as the Grenfell Tower, and the Baranden Walk finger block and Verity Close and the building afresh. It was not adopted, though the principle of the combined leisure centre and school was established.^[4] Six site were being considered, Barlby Rd Primary School, St Mary’s/Middle Row Primary Schools, the Princess Louise Hospital site, the Kensal Gasworks site and the Latimer (Kensington Sports Centre) site but there was an imperative to start construction within five years while the “Building Schools for the Future” funding was available. In reconfiguring the site, two areas of public open space were subsumed ignoring the requirements of the government planning document PPG 17, and causing local resentment.^[4]

The proposed school was to be six-form entry and roughly equivalent in capacity to Holland Park School which invited comparisons. Holland Park has 23,392 sqm. of externl play space, Kensington Academy has 3,881 sqm of external space which includes the delivery bay and the approach road. Much of the external space is on the roofs. ^[5]

Curriculum

The school is growing and only running a Keystage 3 Curriculum. ^[6]

Autism Unit

The ASSC (Autism Spectrum Specialist Centre) is an inclusion centre within the academy that provides specialist provision for high-functioning autistic students and pupils with Asperger syndrome, with the intention of encouraging students to "participate, progress and achieve both in the centre and alongside their peers in mainstream lessons". ^[7]

Provisional arrangements 2017-2018

The school was built next to the Grenfell Tower, which was destroyed by fire in June 2017. As it was within the cordon, the school was closed, students being given assemblies on how to deal with the aftermath and rerouted to other schools, particularly ARK Burlington Danes Academy.^[8] It is not expected that the building will be accessible until September 2017.^[9] Four current students and one who had recently left were killed in the disaster.^[10]

During the academic year 2017-2018, the school will be located on a temporary site on land licensed by Hammersmith and Fulham at Wormwood Scrubs close to Burlington Danes Academy, on the Woodman Mews estate. It will use five blocks of Portakabins. This includes science labs, a dance studio and art rooms. The Portakabin company have 70 personnel working on the project and will use 150 extra for the onsite delivery. The school have seconded two teachers to counsel and psychologically support traumatised students. This support will be available throughout the summer break. ^[11]

References

External links

• School website
• Kensington and Chelsea Psychological Service Trauma Advice For parents supporting their children after the Grenfell Tower Fire.

Coordinates: 51°30′53″N 0°12′55″W / 51.51468°N 0.21525°W / 51.51468; -0.21525

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