Chantry Academy to launch adult learning opportunities in Ipswich

Chantry Academy in Ipswich will be launching a series of workshops as part of its bid to help provide education opportunities for adults in its catchment area.

The school, which was previously known as Chantry High School, and Suffolk New College is now an academy under the Active Learning Trust, and at the unveiling of its new building in November 2015 announced its intention to branch out into supporting adults in the community as well as pupils.

And on Wednesday, the school will be unveiling its courses with a taster evening from 6pm-9pm.

The courses will be delivered in partnership with Realise Futures, with literacy, business skills, IT skills and maths among the areas adults in the community can benefit from.

Chantry Academy principal Craig D’Cunha said: “We have a £14million facility here and it wasn’t just built to be a school; it is intended to serve the community as a whole and that’s what we’re hoping to do with these sessions.”

“To have an 18-year-old sitting next to a 65-year-old, helping each other with everything from spreadsheets to literacy, will be a really wonderful thing.”

The free sessions will be open to anyone aged 18 and over, with more information available on the evening.

Realise Futures engagement manager, Jamie Mortimer, said: “We are really excited to have the opportunity to meet the local people, have fun in our taster lessons and put together a variety of courses that the community want.

“To be able to do this in such a fantastic venue is a real luxury.”

The evening will run from 6pm-9pm, with those aged 18 and over welcome. No booking is needed.