Daventry's Parker E-Act Academy takes over former UTC building

Daventry UTC first opened in 2013 but was forced to close last year after falling student numbers.

Now, the Parker E-Act Academy has revealed it is taking over the building in Ashby Road and it will be available for students to use from September this year.

Writing in a letter to parents, regional education director, Andrew Mackereth, said that the current Aspire Building at the academy would be demolished during the summer holidays.

He said the former UTC building would now be renamed The Randolph Building, after the English poet and dramatist Thomas Randolph, who was born in the village of Newnham near Daventry.

"The multi-million pound facility was first opened in September 2013 and boasts cutting-edge facilities including workshops, laboratories, a spacious four court sports hall and a host of classrooms and breakout rooms.

"The new building will primarily be used for students studying at key stage 4 and will also be home to the E-ACT Daventry Sixth Form.

"Discussions with the regional schools commissioner first started in February when it was suggested that the UTC facility might be an option for the replacement of The Aspire Building which is badly in need of significant renovation.

"We are delighted that the Secretary of State has given us the former UTC facility and we see this as a major boost for education in Daventry at a time when outcomes for young people, and community confidence in the E-ACT academies have never been higher.

"The Randolph Building will give our students and community groups a state of the art platform from which to explore and expand their educational horizons," he said.