The principal of Longsands Academy, Umara Qureshi, officially opened the newly refurbished Sixth Form centre on Thursday 10th September. The Sixth Form in St Neots sits in a building that is separate to the main school but situated on the main school site. Guests including Ian Sollom MP, the Mayor of St Neots and Rowena Hackwood, CEO of Astrea Academy Trust attended the official ribbon cutting ceremony, alongside members of the school community.
Over the summer, the building has been renovated to a high standard, with investment from Astrea Academy Trust. Access to the building has been improved, with a walkway, widened access and seating. A total of £700k has been invested by Astrea into the Sixth Form to provide improved facilities such as a café and spaces for learning and socialising. The refurb now includes new study areas, a common room and a new space the local community can use on the ground floor.
Alongside the work to the Sixth Form, the school reception has/will be upgraded, the staffroom, office admin area and bathroom facilities, as part of a wider £1m renovation project at the school.
Umara Qureshi, Principal at Longsands Academy said:
“I am delighted to officially open our new Sixth Form centre, a space for our Sixth Form and the community of St Neots. I would like to thank Ian Sollom MP very much for supporting the project and Rowena Hackwood and Astrea Academy Trust for the investment. This new space has created a modern Sixth Form centre that our A Level and BTEC students truly deserve. After a year of fantastic exam results, I hope they enjoy socialising and studying in their new surroundings.”
Rowena Hackwood, CEO at Astrea Academy Trust said:
“I am very pleased that Astrea has been able to finance the upgrade of Longsands’ facilities and to revitalise the Sixth Form. The building is a brilliant place for our students to flourish, both now and in the future.”
Longsands Academy recently shared outstanding A Level results with the community, and were joined at the event by former students, returning to the school to celebrate the official opening.
To enquire about making a Sixth Form application or to use the refurbished space, please contact the school on enquiries@astrea-longsands.org.
