OUT with the old and in with the new!

Pupils at a Birmingham school will start the year in a new environment – without moving out of their existing classrooms.

Youngsters at the former College High School in College Road, Erdington, are to start 2010 as students of the new North Birmingham Academy, which opens its doors on January 6.

The academy is the third to be sponsored by the Edutrust Academies Charitable Trust following those at the former Shenley Court Arts College in Selly Oak and The Heartlands High in Nechells.

All three have been taken out of local authority control, with three other Birmingham secondary schools earmarked as academies under different outside sponsors.

Pupils of the new North Birmingham Academy will be based in the existing buildings, but will move to purpose-built accommodation in 2012.

Extensive improvements have already been carried out while designs for the new building take shape.

Former College High head, and now North Birmingham Academy principal Kim Popratnjak, said: “I’m delighted to be opening as a new academy. We have worked hard to prepare for implementing the new changes. This is an opportunity for us to provide an exceptional learning experience.”

The academy will have a new school uniform, including the new academy logo which students helped to design.

Edutrust manages eight academies, including ones in London, Sheffield, and Leeds, with more due to open next year.

Director General Sir Bruce Liddington said: “North Birmingham will join our other academies focusing on our vision of delivering educational excellence for all.

“Developing a new academy will make a real difference to the future of the students, as well as providing excellent new facilities to benefit the students and the wider community for decades to come.”

Birmingham’s academy programme, which also includes two new 14 to 19-year-old institutions specialising in engineering and the performing arts respectively, is still being opposed by the Anti-Academies Alliance.