Asha Mehta takes a first look at what they can expect.

It's a school, but not as we know it.Before I peeked behind the glass-fronted doors of the Thomas Deacon Academy for an exclusive viewing, I was determined not to be floored by the hype.

With the controversy surrounding the "superschool's" spiralling budget – the cost is now £50 million – and its lack of a playground as well as its jokey "blancmange" nickname because of its futuristic shape, my natural cynicism came into play.

The flagship centre will welcome the first of its 2,200 pupils on September 10, but plans for the much-trumpeted academy concept were mooted by the Government way back in 2002 – building the anticipation to fever pitch.

Beating the schoolchildren to their first day, I was secretly thrilled to get a sneak preview of the most talked about school in Peterborough.

And as soon as I stepped inside and set eyes on the dazzling silver and grey atrium, my preconceptions just melted away – it was quite literally, a jaw-dropping moment.

The sense was one of being dwarfed by this awesome space studded with coloured lights and split into six "lobes" linked with footbridges.

Wave goodbye to a maze of corridors and blackboards and welcome to face of a 21st century learning environment – one of no shouting, swipe cards, lasers on walls and illuminated showcase classrooms.

The spaceship-like structure felt as if it may take off at any moment and that's exactly what principal Alan McMurdo hopes the school will do as he stands on the brink of leading the city's education revolution.
Mr McMurdo (51), who likens the recent hive of activity to moving into a new house, said he felt privileged to head the academy but was aware of the responsibility weighing on his shoulders. He said: "This is one of the most fantastic schools in the world and here it is in Peterborough. There is a degree of awe and wonder about the building. If children can't learn here and apply themselves, they can't learn anywhere.

"We have worked hard at taking a large school and making it human scale. You are not overwhelmed by the great big sprawling view; classrooms are the normal size.

"Everything is designed with teaching and learning in mind. Clearly it's an exciting project and a great opportunity not just for me and teachers transferring over, but the youngsters of Peterborough.

"What they are getting is a worldclass facility which will make them raise their game and performance and they will hopefully love it."
It is part of the city's £100 million review of secondary education and will replace three existing schools – Deacon's, John Mansfield and Hereward Community College.

My tour of the building snaked around a central concourse housing the multimedia learning resource centre, circled by "paperless" classrooms kitted out with flatscreen computers and interactive whiteboards.
The 200,000 sq ft site in Queen's Gardens, is arranged on three levels and features a reception, lecture theatre, networking rooms, dance studio, sports hall and gym.

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

Pupils will study in six "colleges" within the Academy, each with their own identity but forming a single facility with a "university-style" environment.

As my guide, Mr McMurdo, who got the teaching bug while mentoring recruits in the Navy, proved to be fiercely passionate but resolutely down-to-earth about the challenges ahead. His eyes lit up when we reached the lecture theatre, as he explained: "It can be used for assemblies or whole college events. Say 100 kids are studying photosynthesis, they can come together and then be sent off on different activities.

The idea of people sitting for 90 minutes doing the same thing is not going to work. Also, the university approach doesn't mean we are going to lecture everyone into submission and bore them. It's much more like treating them as adults."
He said: "The project is perfectly doable and there's nothing impossible about it. We are setting high targets but they are achievable.

"I have always been interested in how we learn and cope with failure and move forward, which stems from my days in the Navy.

"I want to have a positive impact on more and more people and want to work in partnership with the local authority and schools so we can have the maximum learning for the maximum people. And what of the thorny issue of no breaktimes?

"This is under review, particularly with year 7," he said. "But what we have is plenty of recreation space.

"We see sport as vital to development, so the idea they won't be able to run around is nonsense. I'm a rowing man and have run several marathons so I'm passionate about fitness.

The father-of-two's vision sees the area of the city becoming an education quarter, working closely with its next-door-neighbours Peterborough Regional College and King's School.

Preparations to open the school are gathering pace, with uniforms – aptly displaying its science and maths credentials with a logo of six electrons swirling around an atom – handed out on August 28 and tours getting under way from September 3.

Inspired by the futuristic theme, I asked Mr McMurdo to transport himself forward in time by one year.

Will the novelty have worn off or will the academy have soared to great heights? "In 12 months' time, we would be waiting on the results of years 11 and 13, and I anticipate they will be very good," he said.
"We have set very aspirational targets for exam results, not only for A to C, but for value added.

"Our target is by 2011, every youngster will achieve five A to Cs and the NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) group will have gone to zero, that means every child leaving the academy will be in education, employment or training.

"I think I have got the best job in the world. I hope the children are excited about the academy as the staff and I are."
One thing's for certain boys and girls, if my close encounter is anything to go by, you won't be disappointed.