Facilities
Building Schools for the Future
Holloway School has benefited from the completion of its Building Schools for the Future. Our new facilities were completed on time in May 2010 in partnership with Transform Schools and Balfour Beatty, who managed a very safe ordered site throughout the two year building process with little or no disruption to the life of the school.
We now benefit from an £18.5 million complete re-build and re-model of the school. We now have a state of the art building with specialist rooms for all subject areas.
The school site now has extensive recreation and play space (including a roof top Peace Garden), a welcoming reception area, a new assembly area, and spacious dining areas. The modern building compliments the traditional front of the newly re-furbished Edwardian block.
The building works complete the modernisation of the site which already includes a swimming pool, an Astroturf pitch, a new Sports hall and a state of the art fitness gym.
The official opening of the school took place on July 21st 2010. See below for an article describing the opening from the Islington Gazette. Click here to view the article
Stars of past and present shine at opening of Holloway School
LABOUR Party legend Neil Kinnock and a 12-year-old boy with the "voice of an angel" were the stars as Holloway School officially opened its new building on Friday.
Just a week after the Government axed plans to rebuild hundreds of schools across the country, Lord Kinnock dropped into his local secondary to celebrate its amazing new facilities.
The former MP and Labour Party leader was treated to a moving rendition of Luciano Pavarotti's Nessun Dorma by pupil Raffaele Scotti, and two rock numbers from school band Holloway Vibe - and there was hardly a dry eye in the house.
Julie Griffith, assistant headteacher at Holloway School, in Hilldrop Road, said: "It was wonderful. Everyone was crying when Raffaele sang. He is only a little boy but he has such an amazing deep voice, and the school band were great too. They are made up of kids who are not your usual performing types but they have been inspired by the new facilities and recently won the school's rock competition.
"Lord Kinnock gave a talk which was so warm and so inspirational. He lives round the corner in Tufnell Park and his grandchildren go to the local primary school and he spoke about how much new buildings such as ours can enhance education."
Holloway's multi-million pound revamp includes new specialist teaching areas for science, ICT, music, arts, sports and design technology, a brand new assembly and performance hall, and a new learning resource centre, sports areas and outside seating space.
Gemma Elson, a 15-year-old student at Holloway School, said: "The new buildings make it easier to learn - there's lots more space, and some amazing facilities like our music rooms where I can compose and perform. We feel like we finally have the buildings we deserve."
Peter Rees, who has been chairman of governors for the last 10 years, was presented with a sign indicating that the library was being named after him.
Vice-chairman George Ives, who is also a former pupil of the school, was handed a re-conditioned cast iron sign of Holloway School discovered during the demolition, and asked for it to be put up in the school next to the war memorial to those ex-pupils who were killed in the two World Wars.
Holloway headteacher Bob Hamlyn said: "This event marks the culmination of lots of hard work by many people. The school has benefited tremendously from our partnership with the borough and the building contractors, Balfour Beatty. More importantly, the students and staff stayed focused throughout the process, improving our results despite the disruptions. And the best is yet to come!"
Islington Council leader, Councillor Catherine West said: "Islington is very fortunate to have all its Building Schools for the Future projects safe. Holloway's opening was a wonderful event and it's a real tribute to Mr Hamlyn and the governors that the building has gone so smoothly. It's fantastic to see the creation of such a first-class teaching and learning environment".
