Furze Platt Senior School holds official launch for newly-transformed sixth form block
A secondary school in Maidenhead showcased its newly-refurbished sixth form block at an official opening event.
Furze Platt Senior School has been looking to upgrade its sixth form spaces for several years.
With the support of the school’s governors, this summer the project became a reality in a transformation costing the ‘best part of £200,000’.
The project to create a new study room, a room for socialising and more learning space took place over the summer and was completed in September, ready for the intake of new Year 12 students.
Headteacher Dr Andrew Morrison said the transformation has provided a space where students can work either collaboratively or alone and enjoy spending time together.
He said: “It’s turned into more of a 21st century workplace as opposed to what it was before which was little rooms for students to study.
“They can work together, they can develop their ideas and work collaboratively, so [it’s] really positive.”
Head of sixth form, Peter Ging, has been keen to revitalise the sixth form block for a number of years and he said students can now benefit from a more modern space.
He added: “It’s much, much more modern. It’s much brighter and lighter than it was beforehand.
“The room just where the students have their social space was one smaller room and we’ve taken that through into what was an existing classroom and given a much more hybrid approach to that space.”
A new entrance way to the sixth form block was also established as part of the works.
Dr Morrison added: “It’s thanks to the governors. This hasn’t come from us going for a bid outside school, this is us saving money and making sure that we can afford to do something better for our young people.”
The school welcomed students, staff, school governors and representatives from Shield, who carried out the transformation, to an official launch of the newly-refurbished sixth form on Thursday, November 13.
Maidenhead MP Josh Reynolds, a former pupil at the school who now serves as a governor, unveiled a new plaque to celebrate the transformation.
The Lib Dem MP said: “Being able to be back at Furze Platt, my old school, the place that I called home for seven years in reality, it’s just absolutely amazing.
“It’s really great to see the improvements. I remember being here as a kid with these rooms and they were nowhere near as nice as they are now.
“Seeing those improvements over time, seeing the money that’s gone into it to be able to get [it to be] the best facility as possible, is just fantastic.”
Dr Morrison said: “We’re proud to have that plaque.
“For the sixth formers to be in there every day, seeing the plaque that says one of their own has gone on to be an MP in Parliament, have a real say in the community and further afield – it’s just a fantastic motivation for the kids.”
Sixth formers Edward Foxton and Sophie McLachlan, both 17, praised the ‘great’ transformation of the block.
