Parents from across Hull are being given the opportunity to get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the latest developments on site at what will be the all-new £25m Kingswood Academy.

The school - which will change its existing name Kingswood College of Arts to Kingswood Academy, when the doors to the new building open in January 2013 - has arranged a special tour of the development, which will be shown for the first time at a specially organised parents' open evening next month.

Kingswood Academy is being built by national construction company Morgan Sindall Investments. Morgan Sindall Investments is part of a tripartite partnership called Hull Esteem Consortium, which also includes Hull-based Sewell Group and Roberston Capital Projects. The work forms part of the £400m Building Schools for the Future programme (BSF) which will see the delivery of 17 new, world-class, schools by the end of 2014.

Work started on the new Kingswood Academy building in May 2011, with the first students due to take lessons in January 2013. The four-storey building includes large, multi-use learning spaces which can be used by a variety of subjects, with dining spaces on each floor.

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Part of the Kingswood Academy development includes community facilities, which will provide ICT facilities, childcare, training rooms, fitness and activity areas, family centred services and a recording studio, as well as an artist in residence space.

A theatre, designed with experts from Hull Truck Theatre, will be housed in the school too. This will provide space for school and community productions, as well as seminars and conferences which will all be managed through an on-line box office.

The open evening will take place on Wednesday, September 19 between 4.30pm and 7.30pm and will include details of the new building, curriculum and uniform. Staff from a range of departments will be available to speak to and there will be opportunities for all the family to take part in fun learning activities, including a series of live science experiments and the chance to try out new technologies that will be used in the new building. There will also be performances by students throughout the three-hour event in the theatre of the current Kingswood College of Arts site, starting at 4.30pm.

Councillor Helene O'Mullane, portfolio holder for children's services and the BSF programme, said: "I would like to encourage parents and students in the Kingswood area to come along and find out more about the fantastic new Kingswood Academy that will open in January 2013. The Academy will be a significant investment in the area; it will build on the current school's excellent improvement in GCSE results with 45% of students achieving the Gold standard and provide a wonderful asset for the whole community."

(CD/GK)