Take a virtual tour of the new Harris Academy

[the-e-dealer]

Some facts. There's at least one Gym in the video. There IS a playground. The building's internal accomodation exceeds current standards for 900 pupils.

I know some of didn't want a boys school, I know some of us don't trust Harris or Academies in general but its what we've got which is better than nothing. I hope you all take a keen interest , get involved, contribute in anyway you can when it opens.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Well, it's almost unveiled. I was surprised by how much I like it.

Are the windmills on top decorative or functional?

[BQC]

900 boys in one place .. i've got 3 and its hard work. Be interested to see how it performs. Zero outdoor space is a major worry .. hope i don't have to up sticks in a few years to Kent ..::o

[Mick Mac]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Well, it's almost unveiled. I was surprised by

> how much I like it.

>

> Are the windmills on top decorative or functional?

Apparently its at the end of my road - But I have not seen it.

[EDmummy]

We have to accept now that the school is here. Many of our friend's children will have to attend it (mainly because they did not get their chosen school). I feel, we should, as a community, accept and support it. Nothing we can say is going to change that up to 900 boys are going to be attending this school so it is up to us all as a community to proud of it and make it the best school it can be.

And, for those who don't want it on their doorstep, if it does succeed, it will certainly increase their house prices!

[BQC]

I really hope it works (and i live very close to it). But i still can't get my head around 900 kids all crammed on that disproportionally small site. Triple the previous amount ... Someone mentioned earlier that the park was out of bounds - so where on earth are they going to play/exercise outside ?

[the-e-dealer]

There's a sign outside the Dry Cleaner saying 2 hour cleaning - Don't believe that one either.

[the-e-dealer]

Playground and Playfields elsewhere. Not uncommon in inner London to drive to playing fields.

[thebeard]

The Academy ?Coop? LMAO.

900 Battery Children cooped up in the Harris Academy.

Dulwich College has playing fields in abundance and the poor sporty kids of South London have the Harris Academy.

Southwark?s brilliant Planning system.

If they had any sense they would compulsory purchase industrial land around Burgess Park reclaim the land for sports fields and build an academy there. No one would miss the industrial units.

But NO let?s squeeze it in next to Peckham rye?

The site of the Harris academy should have been retirement flats freeing up some of the boroughs large housing stock which is occupied by OAPs holding back family housing.

The Southwark PLAN Like many local council plans is a JOKE!

Short sighted and as always falls way short of benefiting the boroughs residents in a humane way.

THE BATTER EDUCATION SYSTEM IS HERE!

No virtual tour required.

[intexasatthe moment]

e- dealer

The building's internal accomodation exceeds current standards for 900 pupils.

Not doubting the vaiidity of your comment but I would be interested in more details ,have you a link giving current standards ? And some idea of the Academy's internal specification to make a comparison ?

[the-e-dealer]

Its a long time ago but I seem to remember the references are in the Council's Planning Documents.

[intexasatthe moment]

Mmm .I can see it's going to be tricky to track down,especially since the proposed numbers of students went up considerably during the course of the planning .

Of course I realise it will all conform to planning regs - just wondered how it was worked out and how the building meets the requirements.

[*Bob*]

Well it's (nearly) here now so there it is.

In six or seven years time we'll no doubt be taking a look around - with an open mind.

Doing the rounds of the local primaries recently was an interesting exercise in itself, unearthing as it did a bubbling cauldron of assumption, prejudice and snobbery (ours, that of others). If we learned anything from that, it's that you only know by looking for yourself.

[davidh]

the great menace of tis place is that in, in spite of being a sports specialist, it has no playing field facilities. I will be among many going into battle if they try to colonise peckham rye park.

[MissSophie]

ontheedge,you are ontheball!

Horrific building, it will ruin the enjoyment that we know of Peckham Rye Park - which is a massive shame, it was only this morning I was talking to the gardeners, thanking them for the hard work in making the park such a delight.

[the-e-dealer]

Yeah why let local kids use the local park.

[hpsaucey]

Why shouldn't they use the park??? I can see there could be potential problems but surely if there were rules in place then there shouldn't be unmanageable 'problems'.

What sort of image of our youth do we have when we assume that they're going to cause problems. Isn't the park there for everyone to enjoy???

[the-e-dealer]

I remember when there was a proposal to involve young kids in bowls - there were howls of pain.

[Vik]

Peckham Rye Park has long been used for school children as a sports facility, When I was at school we used to get a coach there, I don't see why that should be a problem now. It's not as if they're going to let 900 boys out in the park at the same time, unsupervised to do what they like and as someone else said, why should local kids not be allowed to use the park, it's a public space is it not?

It is a great shame it has no outdoor space, but with a desperate need for secondary places in Southwark and little room to build a school especially in ED, it looks like they are trying to make the best of what they have.

Will the boys school not be sharing any of the facilities of the girls school across the park?

[thebeard]

I vote for underground sports fields dig the rye concrete it like a basement/car park, then cover it back over with the same turf etc.

Not good for football but ok for track and field sports etc they could be bussed out to the near continent for team sports.

I guess the general thinking was for dart throwing snooker playing weight lifting acrobats with abilities in dance as a sideline.

[James Barber]

I was on the planning committee that decided to grant planning permission.

I did ask at the time whether the Academy could be allowed to use the common/park but in exchange allow its changing rooms to be used at the weekend. This would allow all those unsightly shipping containers to be removed.

I was told that the friends of Peckham Rye Park at that time were against such a concept and the applicant didn't want to rock the boat.

[the-e-dealer]

Yes why should local boys be allowed to use the local park scandalous!

[Smiler]

Surely the boys should be able to use the park, if only for supervised PE and stuff?

[Jeremy]

It's public space, surely the school are free to use it if they want?

If British Military Fitness and other organisations can use it, I don't see why a school shouldn't be able to.

[Vik]

Another thing worth adding is that there won't imediately be 900 boys on site, the school is being filled one form per year, the first intake was last September so if/when it opens this September there will only be 2 year groups there, and the school will fill gradually.