The questionnaire feedback

• 63% of respondents positively agreed that the development of an academy Salford at the proposed site of Salford Quays was a good idea, whilst 33% disagreed. 2% of the respondents had no view, and 2% did not respond.
• 78% of the respondents were in agreement with the choice of Media and ICT as a specialist area for a new academy, with 11% in disagreement. 9% did not have a view, and 2% did not respond.
• 96 % of those questioned were in agreement that 'a careful balance of academic education and practical courses is a good learning experience for students'. 4% did not respond.
• 74% agreed that students should be 'encouraged' to take the issue of sustainability seriously, and that this should be mirrored through the building design and construction. 9% did not express any view.
• When asked to express the most important aspects of the Academy, 'good teachers', 'excellent academic facilities' and 'good exam results' were given the highest importance.
• Lesser importance was attached to 'a curriculum mirrors real life work situations', 'state of the art computing facilities', 'design of the learning environment', 'parent/carer involvement', 'good sports facilities', 'facilities open to the communities', 'post 16 education', 'smart pupils in uniform' and 'vocational training'.
• On the issue of resources provided for wider community use, education (evening classes/adult education) was the most preferred shared resourced, followed by sports facilities, a health centre, a gym, cyber cafe, nursery and then school hall and meeting facilities.

A specialist focus

The proposed academy will be required to have a specialist focus. A specialism is not a narrowing of the National Curriculum, but a widening of a particular subject area. The development of specialist schools across the country has contributed to a raising in standards of achievement generally. It is proposed that the academy's specialism will be media and ICT. Students at the proposed academy will then benefit from the links made with the growing media industry, particularly with the development of MediaCityUK.

This page was last updated on 4 October 2009