London academy of tech in the pipeline?

A charitable group of tech professionals is considering plans to set up a City Academy specialising in IT.

The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists (WCIT), one of the City of London Livery companies, said that - while the project is at a very early stage and the organisation has not committed to it - it is still "very excited" about the idea.

John Leighfield, master of the WCIT, told silicon.com it is only in the past few years that the technologies and teaching processes that can bring about more effective and motivating educational experiences have been developed.

He added: "There are few schools where it has yet all been brought together. We see the opportunity, under the academy scheme, to set up an exemplar school which would use the technology in a comprehensive and concerted way to the benefit of the particular academy and its students and, because it will become an exemplar, to the benefit of many other schools. This is a natural stance for a Livery company to take."

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If the WCIT goes ahead with the project the school - likely to be in London - could be up and running within three or four years.

And while the academy, which will probably teach the 11- to 18-year-old age group, would specialise in technology and creativity, the full curriculum will be covered.

One big issue is funding - the school would cost millions to set up and operate and as Leighfield points out: "There aren't lumps of money like that around all over the place."