Newark Academy, Balderton

Newark Academy is a mixed secondary school based in Balderton, Nottinghamshire, providing an educational environment for 1084 pupils aged 11-18. Alongside high expectations and an ethos of ‘Work Hard, Be Kind’, they invest strongly in staff development and pastoral care to inspire a harmonious teaching and learning environment. 

Founded in October 2016, the school is part of NOVA’s Multi-Academy Trust, comprising 14 other educational institutions. Opened as a new state-of-the-art facility, Newark Academy quickly found a need for increased on-site dining and social space, with pressure on existing canteen facilities resulting in pupils using corridors or classrooms for break and lunch times. This can be a factor in educational environments, with even newly designed buildings housing canteen facilities that can ultimately prove to be inadequate as pupil capacity rises. 

Newark Academy was looking for a practical but visually pleasing solution that would appeal to their board of governors. A visit was scheduled with representatives from the academy and NOVA to the nearby Glenbrook Primary School, where the successful installation of 2x Triton Maxx-A canopies could provide a first-hand perspective of the structures seamless integration with the adjacent building and its abilities to provide effective covered space for recreational use by pupils.

As part of a wider programme of works undertaken by Main Contractors, Thomas & Sons Construction Ltd, Streetspace were engaged to deliver the covered space section, providing a covered informal dining space to ease the impact of overcrowding in the canteen. A TRITON Mono Glass Canopy was utilised, with the bespoke, enclosed structure incorporating proposed layouts and seating plans in the design stage to ensure the space could comfortably seat 150 pupils at any given time. Included in addition was tinted toughened glass in order to implement crucial protection from harmful UV rays and inclement weather. 

TRITON Mono Canopies provide an elegant addition to almost any architectural setting, in addition to enabling dedicated dining spaces that can offer critical additional capacity for schools. Their ability to create valuable circulation space and ease overcrowding in canteen facilities are vital features for educational settings. They provide a welcoming, informal space for pupils to enjoy their lunch and socialise, directly benefiting student wellbeing. With the robust build necessary to ensure longevity, a TRITON canopy delivers highly effective, covered external space for both pupils and staff to enjoy for years to come.