The £22 million JCB Academy was today officially opened by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.

Sir Anthony Bamford shows HRH The Prince of Wales around the JCB Academy

The Royal couple visited the facility in Mill Street, Rocester where they met staff, students and supporters who have made The Academy such a success.

Prince Charles, accompanied by Sir Anthony Bamford and JCB Academy Principal Jim Wade, was given an insight into both the hi-tech resources available to the 170 Year 10 and Sixth Form students and The JCB Academy’s strong focus on energy efficiency, seeing first-hand an Archimedes Screw which has been installed and which generates around 80 per cent of the power for the site.

The Duchess of Cornwall meanwhile took time out to meet community groups linked to The JCB Academy and the building where it is housed. Pupils from Dove First School, Rocester, performed a dance routine for the Royal visitor before she went on to meet Rocester residents who have a connection with the building.

The Royal couple later unveiled a plaque to mark the official opening of The Academy.

In a speech at the opening ceremony Sir Anthony Bamford said: “Over 200 years after Arkwright invented the spinning frame, his mill in Rocester is now home to a transformation – a revolution, some might say – in how our young people are educated.

“Our hope is that the engineers and business leaders of the future – that our country so desperately needs to rebalance our economy – will pass through the doors of this historic building.“

The JCB Academy is the first school of its kind in the UK for the education of 14 to 19-year-olds with a core focus on engineering and is designed to produce the engineers and business leaders of the future.

The rear of the new JCB Academy

The engineering tasks completed by pupils have been set by The JCB Academy’s partners who include JCB, Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Network Rail, Bentley, Bombardier, Rexroth Bosch Group, National Grid, Zytek Automotive, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, IET, Harper Adams University College, The Royal Academy of Engineering and Parker Vansco. They will complete their engineering tasks alongside Maths, English, Science and German GCSEs.