Almost a year will pass before the doors officially open.
Yet the prospect of Livingstone Academy Bournemouth has already become a talking point amongst the local Bournemouth community, parents and industry experts.
The curriculum for the state-of-the-art digital academy will focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) to ensure that students are well-equipped with an authentic education that is fit for the 21st century.
The school is a collaboration between Ian Livingstone CBE, co-founder of the hugely successful Games Workshop and Steve and Paula Kenning, CEOs of the Aspirations Academies Trust.
The trio are thrilled with the positive and wide-ranging feedback received so far and are keen for more. Please email your thoughts and feedback about LAB to office@livingstone-aspirations.org or contact us via our Twitter or Facebook pages (@LABournemouth).
Ian Livingstone CBE, author and entrepreneur
Steve & Paula Kenning, CEOs of Aspirations Academies Trust
Those who have already expressed their delight include industry expert Jason Callina (@JCallina) who describes the academy as a “unique opportunity to introduce people to the educational and therapeutic value of all types of gaming”.
Jason, who is the founder of and lead game designer at Mastermind Adventures, also expressed his admiration for the digital nature of LAB, particularly the focus on technology, gaming and simulations to aid learning. He recognises that “gaming was niche, but it no longer is”, going on to admit “my generation needs to stop acting like it is still niche and get it into the hands of everyone”.
With parents also acknowledging the importance of the need for a new type of digital learning for the future, Livingstone Academy is being recognised as the answer.
Mum Aga emailed to let us know that she has enrolled her two sons and added: ‘’I am very pleased to write to you. It’s a good decision to open a school in this place, it was missing here. I enrolled my two sons in your new school.’’
Comedian and gaming enthusiast Imran Yusuf (@ImranYusuf) has described Livingstone Academy as “a great investment in society” and believes “what it will do for the games industry will be tremendous”.
He added how he “wish[es] it was around when I was a kid’’ and is “excited for the young people who aspire to go here.’’
Prospective parent Hayley Elizabeth expressed her interest in Livingstone Academy as somewhere she “would have loved to go”.
On Twitter, another prospective parent @DiGreen1973 expressed how glad she is that LAB “offers students a medium that they love and can engage with”, further highlighting the support for Livingstone Academy’s new way of learning.
She added she is optimistic that her child “will enjoy the stimulating learning experience” that Livingstone Academy promises.
