Howard Community Academy open new Sports Barn
Attended by parents, staff, pupils and members of the local community, the academy welcomed Suffolk County Councillor Robert Everitt to officially re-open the facility. Pupils and staff from across the school took part in in the celebration, culminating in a morning of sporting activities led by Ryan Parker, Lead for Physical Education and Physical Activity, to celebrate the new resources available for pupils.
The academy’s Sports Barn has been unused over recent years, but since joining Anglian Learning in 2020 the school has been able to gradually refurbish the area. With the support of the Trust and some additional funding, almost £60,000 has been invested into the barn’s improvements, to ensure all pupils at the school can benefit from and have access to a range of sporting experiences.
The revamped sports facility will now be used to raise the profile of sport in the school, adding to the available large outside spaces and providing an increased range of opportunities and equipment for pupils to develop their love of physical activity. The barn will allow the school to host local competitions and tournaments, with the community also being able to access these facilities too.
Alison Weir, Headteacher at Howard Community Academy, said:
“We are delighted about the opening of our new Sports Barn. As part of our vision to be at the heart of the community, we are pleased to be able to grow and expand our offering for the benefit of both our existing and future pupils.
“This is just one of the many exciting developments taking place at Howard Community Academy since we joined Anglian Learning two years ago. We have been on a journey to achieve our Artsmark award, giving our pupils every opportunity to shine across the full breadth of subjects. We have appointed a number of exciting new members of staff who are bringing a wealth of talent and enthusiasm to the school, and they are already making a big impact on our young learners.
“The addition of the Sports Barn will play a key role in our drive to provide high-quality learning and a wealth of opportunities for our pupils. It really is an exciting time to be a part of the Howard Community Academy family.”
Jonathan Culpin, Chief Executive Officer of Anglian Learning, said: “At Anglian Learning, we empower our people to embrace new challenges and aspire to be ambitious for themselves and for those in their community to be the best they can be. The excellent facilities of the Sports Barn for Howard Community Academy provides another fantastic learning environment for our pupils and the opportunity for many new educational experiences.
“We are really proud of all the staff at the school and within our central team who have worked hard to refurbish these facilities. Howard Community Academy has gone from strength to strength since it joined our Trust and we could not be prouder of their achievements across all areas of the curriculum.”
From left to right: Caretaker at Howard Community Academy, Tom Chaplin. Headteacher at Howard Community Academy, Alison Weir. Suffolk County Council, Councillor Robert Everitt. Anglian Learning’s Director of Primary Education, Prue Rayner. Anglian Learning’s Trust Premises and Operations Manager, Kevin Cornwell. Pupils of Howard Community Academy.
Pupils take part in a morning of sporting activities, led by Ryan Parker.
Pupils take part in a morning of sporting activities, led by Ryan Parker.
Pupils take part in a morning of sporting activities, led by Ryan Parker.
