Sugar sweetens Bushey Academy opening

£30m academy, which awarded a £1.8m IT contract to Alan Sugar's firm Viglen, opens its doors for the first time

Lord Alan Sugar has officially cut the ribbon on a brand-new state-of-the-art academy in Hertfordshire.

Sugar's system builder/VAR Viglen was awarded a £1.8m, five-year contract by Bushey Acadamy to supply all its IT needs.

The £30m education establishment, which replaces Bushey Hall School – originally placed in special measures by Ofsted in 2009, puts ICT at the heart of its learning, and more than 1,300 students will benefit from the technology provided by Viglen.

It is now described as the 35th most improved school in the country out of 5,272 and has 93 per cent of students achieving five or more GCSEs, grades A* to C.

Also present at the official opening were Bordan Tkachuk, chief executive of Viglen and sponsor David Meller.

During the day, 1,500 balloons were released to celebrate the opening and visitors were encouraged to explore the swanky new premises.

Commenting on the opening, Lord Sugar said: "Principal Andrew Hemmings and his team have done an outstanding job turning the school around and making it Hertfordshire's most improved school and a true exemplar of best practice in education.

"I am delighted to be opening these stunning new premises, featuring an end-to-end IT solution installed by Viglen. Technology plays a vital role in the learning environment, helping today's students prepare and gain the skills required for employment."

Principal Hemmings added: "We are delighted to welcome Lord Sugar to the Bushey Academy. As education strives to meet the challenges of the 21st century and the modern economy, visionary business leaders have an important part to play in setting the agenda and inspiring youngsters to make the most of the opportunities presented to them."