Soar Valley College

Soar Valley College is a stimulating, caring 11 -16 community, comprehensive college with 1,215 pupils on the roll. The school has a specialism in maths and computing and is situated off Gleneagles Drive. Fully rebuilt the project is valued at just under £21m. 

The new college building was constructed on part of the playing fields between the former building and the current rugby pitches. This meant that there was minimum disruption to the existing school during the construction period.  

In keeping with the surroundings, most of the school is no more than two storeys high. On entering the college there is an impressive entrance area that is at the heart of the building and sets the ‘tone' for the whole of the building.  

All curriculum areas have learning spaces that are bright, spacious and offer a first class environment for staff and students.

The ICT infrastructure and facilities excite and motivate learners of all abilities and make the concept of ‘anytime learning' a reality; it  also supports efficient and effective models of working, helping to reduce bureaucracy.

The building has a welcoming frontage to highlight the school’s role at the centre of the community. The flexible layout of the school means that it can accommodate large and small groups for uses such as adult education.  

Soar Valley was designated a specialist mathematics and computing college in 2004 and amongst other awards holds the Healthy Schools award, the Financial Management Standard in Schools, the Quality in Study Support Award and the Young, Gifted and Equal Award. 

Last inspected in February 2010, the college has been designated as ‘Good’ under the Ofsted guidelines. The inspectors highlighted a number of areas of particular excellence within this grade, including the fact that attainment has risen significantly over the past 3 years, which is even more remarkable when you take into account the upheaval of the building programme during that time. They described Soar Valley as having a calm and purposeful atmosphere with well structured lessons and excellent relationships between staff and students.

Community cohesion was also commended, as the Inspectors recognised that: “The college makes an outstanding contribution to community cohesion. Students are proud of the diversity in the college community and show high levels of respect and tolerance towards each other. The college works extremely effectively in partnership with a range of organisations within the community to enhance learning opportunities and provide greater personal support for its students.”

The design of the school maximises space for sports pitches including the prominent cricket pitch. 

The design of the outside space is so successful that Soar Valley College was nominated for ‘Most Innovative Use of Outside Space’ in the 2009 ‘Excellence in BSF’ Awards.

The completed school includes:

• An allotment area, an ecology garden and external teaching areas next to the art rooms.
• Improved and enhanced sporting facilities including a new sports hall, aerobics/dance area and fitness suite.
• Flexible teaching areas
• Enhanced ICT capabilities.

Outside spaces also include an Allotment area and an Ecology garden with other features that support their EMAS accreditation – even including bat boxes built in to the main brickwork.

The school has been awarded an Excellent BREEAM environmental rating.

The school, with the support of its staff, students, governors and community is looking to the future with confidence and is looking to maximise the potential of the new facilities to build upon its many successes.

Their maxim is -  aspire, enjoy, achieve…

View images of the school being constructed