FTC Performing Arts College (now Invicta Academy)

Built in the early 1950s to accommodate a much larger catchment, when Scunthorpe had three integrated steelworks rather than the one it has now, FTC was considerably oversized for the 800 pupils it had on roll in 2010. The surplus space was not of high quality, and the school facilities were suffering from under-investment

In addition the school had successfully adopted a bold new method of teaching, known as ‘Discover Learning’, in which all pupils are issued with notebook computers on which they are set and marked most of their learning tasks in all subjects. In place of classrooms the school required five large year-group studio spaces together will well-positioned and well-appointed practical learning spaces to support the pupil’s computer based theory exercises.

Radical re-organisation of the school was undertaken retaining and cleverly integrating about one-third of the existing buildings. An old gym and a dining block were imaginatively remodelled and refitted to create two year-group ‘discover spaces’. Three new discover spaces were created at first floor level to give five in total.

The existing hall was extensively refurbished and augmented with new music, dance and drama studios. The addition of well designed dressing rooms gave this Performing Arts College excellent facilities, which were also suitable for semi-professional community performance groups.

The project was delivered as part of the North Lincolnshire Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.