Enabling multi-purpose use…

As part of the recent transformation of the school to Academy status, a pot of money was available to update the theatre (built in the 1950s) and equip it with much needed lighting and sound equipment – Opus provided the system to achieve this.

Head of Drama, Sara Young, says: “I wanted to be able to use it a lot. It had to be something that was easy to use and to train the students up on.”

“Opus offered some really good ideas from our brief that required a multi-use capability.”

Ark Putney is an example of the largest OpusSystem available, supplied complete with additional sound and lighting desks for the rear of the auditorium.

Sara comments: “We needed something able to handle big drama productions, presentations, speeches,
day-to-day drama lessons and be accessible for outside users – also, very importantly, we needed a tool to help teach students and train them in the technical side of theatre for their exams.

“We now have a wonderful rig, and flexible options, which are really promising for our productions.”

“It is still early days as Opus has only just installed our system but it’s clear that it gives proper hands-on control to practitioners.”

Ralph Canning, Creative Making Technician, says: “I can see the full potential of Opus and I don’t expect it will take too much to master it. We are looking forward to students being trained and getting hands-on experience – it certainly looks very exciting and has a professional look.”

Sara adds, “I think it will be fantastic once we have embedded it into our curriculum, which will start to happen more fully from September. Everyone who has come along from Opus has been extremely supportive.”

Along with multi-use for whole school assemblies, presentations and graduations, it will be used alongside the curriculum with students taking ownership of the equipment so they can support other students in performances.

Sara concludes: “I think it has raised the bar for us which is very important. We are training our A level and GCSE students in the technical aspect of their exams, and we are also part of a Shakespeare Schools’ Festival which will have us performing this year at the New Wimbledon Theatre. One of our Year 11 girls will be training up on OpusSystem in school in preparation for this event, as our own technician for the show. There’s so much potential. That’s what’s exciting; that’s what it’s clearly set up for.”

ABOUT THE CLIENT

Name of School	Ark Putney Academy (until 2012 The Elliott School)
Town	London, SW15
LEA/Affiliation:	Wandsworth
Student Numbers:	Approx 500 (11–18 mixed) with 150 in Sixth Form
Location:	School theatre
Finance Option:	Purchased
Main Use:	Teaching drama and technical skills, performances, assemblies and outside use

"We needed something able to handle big drama productions, presentations, speeches, day-to-day drama lessons and be accessible for outside users – also, very importantly, we needed a tool to help teach students and train them in the technical side of theatre for their exams."

SARA YOUNG, HEAD OF DRAMA