Exciting new start for The Hart: New Head, New Look & New Leisure Dome

It’s an exciting all-new start for @thehartschool pupils with a new head, new look school and a new leisure dome unveiled.

The Hart School in Rugeley has revealed a raft of improvements to start the new academic year as pupils made a welcome return after months away.

As well as a new acronym for the name Hart – “Happy Ambitious Resilient Tolerant” – new principal Rachael Sandham has unveiled images of its exciting new all-weather leisure dome alongside other vibrant changes made during the summer months.

Believed to be the first ever school in Staffordshire to install a PVC leisure dome of its kind, the impressive structure will allow all pupils to have all year round access to sport.

First of its kind in a UK high school

The Covair Single Skin PVC dome – the likes of which can also be found at Premier League Football and Rugby Clubs – which will be a multi-use games area, is also the first of its kind to be installed in the grounds of a UK high school.

The arrival of the dome at the Penkridge Bank Road school was originally announced in November, but lockdown forced it to be put on hold.

Miss Sandham, who led the school’s recent PPE campaign, raising over £20,000 to make 26,000 face shields for NHS and frontline workers, said:

“The dome’s been an incredibly exciting project that has been in the pipeline for several months.

“We’re thrilled and proud to be able to finally show off such an amazing new facility to everyone.

“We constantly strive to create a life-changing education and experience for our pupils at The Hart School, and this fantastic new addition to our creative school’s offer will be of huge benefit to the health of our pupils all year round.”

Big and small changes to school’s “dynamic” offer

And it’s not the only new improvement to the school’s offer to be unveiled this week.

Miss Sandham, who has worked at the school for 16 years, added:

“Over the summer holiday, we’ve not stopped and used the time to make The Hart School’s environment as dynamic as ever with a bit of a refresh.

“We’ve made a number of changes, both big and small, that we are sure will get this term off to an excellent start, ensuring that all students will be safe and able to learn.”

New improvements – the latest in a raft of changes at the school supported by Creative Education Trust, which The Hart is a part of – include a refurbished library as well as vibrant, inspirational wall art, posters, and backdrops installed across the school as well a new ICT suite.

They come on top of last year’s additions of extra classrooms and teaching spaces, such as a lecture-style theatre, a new reception area, open-plan leadership hub, a dedicated Sixth Form entrance and common room, and new staff and pupil entrances.