Bristol Metropolitan Academy

Bristol Metropolitan Academy (BMA) opened in April 2008, with capacity for 1,080 pupils as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme.

A year after BMA first opened its doors as an academy, it was already among the most improved schools in the country, where 85% of its pupils achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C.

Over a three-year period, Buro Happold carried out Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) studies for the four BSF schools, which included the BMA, assessing environmental and energy performance.

Research carried out by the University of Denmark in 2007 demonstrates that classroom temperature and improved ventilation can have an impact on student performance.

This data provided valuable insight into in-use environmental performance, which has been used to inform and to improve the design of school buildings across the UK.

The outcomes from this work, particularly the levels of fresh air ventilation being achieved in summer, has subsequently been used to inform the design of many schools, including St Bartholomew’s School in Newbury, Chobham Academy in Stratford, and the City of London Academy, Shoreditch Park.

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