New Bath school goes on a trip of a lifetime

The visit to the Olympic Park is being described as a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience Credit: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

Bath's newest school is marking the end of its first week with a visit to the Paralympic Games.

More than 300 staff and pupils from Bath Community Academy are heading to Olympic Park in a trip that has been described by the new principal, Adam Williams, as a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience.

The school may be new but the site has quite a history. It was built as a boys' secondary modern in 1956 and later became Culverhay, an all-boys comprehensive. In 2010, falling pupil numbers and poor results led Bath and North East Somerset Council to decide to close it in a shake-up of education in the city.

One of the many protests that took place to try to save Culverhay School Credit: ITV West

The move led to protests from campaigners who claimed that the council had failed to take into account the high numbers of students with learning disabilities or Culverhay's unique role in the community. The decision was finally overturned when a study found that it would have a future if it became mixed sex. In October 2011, it won Government approval to become a sponsored academy run by the Cabot Learning Foundation.

A fresh start at Bath Community Academy - pupils proudly display their new uniforms Credit: Bath Community Academy

The first female students in more than 50 years stepped through the doors of the Bath Community Academy on Wednesday. It could be that more change is in sight as the school works to find a way out of special measures.

The academy says the new girls are already fitting in very well. It is holding an open evening on 9th October and hopes many prospective students - of both sexes - will be able to attend. For more information about the school, click here