Thomas Deacon Academy, Peterborough

• Winner of “Best Use of ICT to Create a Learning Community” – BCSE 2008 Awards
• Delivered full scope of ICT services including innovative thin client solution
• New build of one of the UK’s largest Academies for 2200 students

Thomas Deacon Academy Case Study

“Pinacl’s consultative approach and comprehensive solutions knowledge is key to the successful delivery of Thomas Deacon Academy’s ICT solution. Pinacl demonstrated that they fully understood the needs of the new academy and their proposal represented the best value combined with the best level of construction project experience.”

Neil Heyes, Cybercom Project Manager

Completed in September 2007, the £46m Thomas Deacon Academy in Peterborough is the largest and most technically-advanced academy built in the UK to date.

As the largest Academy in the UK, the award winning Thomas Deacon Academy integrates a number of ‘state-of-the-art’ technologies to effectively address a number of key challenges, which include reducing the academy’s environmental impact, bridging the ‘digital divide’ and improving the computers to pupil ratio.

Working together with IT consultants Cybercom, Pinacl Solutions successfully designed, managed and implemented, within budget an innovative ICT infrastructure solution, incorporating leading edge technology with exceptional technical knowledge and project management expertise.

The project includes a number of solutions:

• A complete voice, video and data infrastructure including servers, PC’s and software.
• Telephony and communications infrastructure.
• An innovative Smart Card solution which provides electronic registration, cashless catering and library book management through the use of a single card.
• Thin Client technology which provides students and teachers with remote access to the campus network and applications, allowing homework and extra curricular projects to be accessed outside of the academy environment.
• A number of integrated audio-visual solutions which includes interactive whiteboards in every classroom, recording studios and a ‘state-of-the-art’ auditorium.

Bringing innovation to the forefront of the teaching environment and enhancing the learning experience for its 2,200 students, the solution incorporates a number of technologies from several industry leading manufacturers including Citrix, Novus and Cisco.

Pinacl’s fully integrated infrastructure will play a pivotal role in the day-to-day running of the new academy, using innovative Thin Client and remote access networking technologies to achieve the Academy’s goal of ‘anytime, anywhere’ learning.

Built under the Government’s Academies Programme, the academy is sponsored by The Deacon’s Trust and Perkins Engines Company and financed by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and Peterborough City Council.

Divided into 6 colleges with 370 students in each, the Academy provides a ‘small school’ environment, each with their own identity but forming a single facility. Designed by Foster and Partners Architects, the futuristic design of the Academy is built on three levels around a ground floor concourse that can be seen from virtually anywhere in the Academy and features a reception area, lecture theatre, networking areas and a learning resource centre.

Outside, extensive landscaping, eight grass pitches, an all-weather pitch and tennis courts provide a wide range of leisure and sports activities.