The Falmer Academy will open in September 2010. It will build on the progress made at Falmer High School and to create an Academy offering the highest standards of education.

Academies are free, government-funded schools that provide a fresh approach to learning in state-of-the-art buildings to raise standards of achievement among all students whatever their abilities. There are currently 133 academies open in 65 local authorities, with up to a further 80 due to open in September 2009.

Each Academy is individual and develops to reflect local needs. An Academy has a sponsor who provides vision, leadership and expertise to enrich the experience of all the students. The sponsor invests money in an endowment fund to provide financial support for additional activities at the Academy. Falmer Academy is sponsored by local entrepreneur Rod Aldridge OBE who was born and brought up in Hove. 

Each Academy has at least one specialism. Falmer will have two specialisms – Entrepreneurship and Sport.

The Academy is now well on track for opening in September 2010. Last October, following consultation, Brighton and Hove City Council approved the closure of the existing Falmer High School to allow the Academy to proceed. The approval by the Government was received by the signing of the Funding Agreement by the Secretary of State in November 2008. A Principal (Mrs Phil Hogg) is now appointed and started on 1 September this year (as Principal Designate) planning for and setting-up the Academy ahead of it opening in September 2010.

In parallel to setting-up the Academy, the Council are procuring a new state of the art building, funded by central government, which will be leased to the Academy when it is complete. The Outline Business Case for this was approved in October 2008 and Kier Group have been selected as the preferred building contractor and are finalising their plans. Enabling works on the Falmer High School site have started over the summer and full construction is expected to start in November 2010. This is subject to planning and other approvals. The first phase of the exciting new building is planned to open in September 2010, as the Academy opens, and the new building will be fully occupied in September 2011.

In summary the Falmer Academy will:

• offer 900 places for students aged 11-16 as well as 250 sixth-form places
• be an all-inclusive school, accepting students from all backgrounds and operating under the Brighton & Hove City Council Admissions policy
• As well as the specialisms of Entrepreneurship and Sport, offer a broad and rich range of subjects including the core skills of Maths, English, Science and ICT.
• operate in a new state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly building on the site of the existing Falmer High School
• operate up to date ICT equipment and systems to support learning
• work in partnership with other educational, sports, business and community organisations locally to bring benefits to the whole community the Academy serves.