pushed back to extend the consultation period. A planning application was submitted in December 2014 for the new academy, temporary classrooms and the residential development on the Thrift Farm Lane site. This was part of a schedule to move all students to the Cowley Hill site in December 2015 and open the new academy in September 2019. The academy stated that the new build would include "a first class community theatre and community sports facilities" as well as "cutting-edge ICT in every classroom, expansive open learning spaces and a superb new restaurant." The new building opened to students as planned in September 2019 for the start of the 2019-20 academic year. Academy structure Students and staff The academy has approximately 1,300 students, including boys and girls from the age of 11 to 18. This includes approximately 200 students in the academy's sixth form. There are approximately 100 teaching staff, with approximately 40 support staff. House system In 2013 the academy introduced a new house system with four houses, each named after a college at Oxford or Cambridge: Cavendish (blue), Darwin (green), Nuffield (yellow) and Somerville (red). The assigned colour of the house that a student belongs to is displayed on a badge on the student's blazer. Each house has a staff member assigned as its head, a House Captain from the Upper Sixth Form, and a Vice House Captain selected from the Lower Sixth Form. The academy arranges inter-house competitions through the school year and tracks the total House Points each house has earned, towards winning the House Cup at the end of each year. Alumni Famous alumni include: Sophie Pender, founder of the 93% Club Phineas "A1" Waweru, rapper and part of duo "A1 x J1" Jyrelle (Loski) O'Connor-Greenland, drill artist and member of Harlem Spartans References Schools in Hertsmere Secondary schools in Hertfordshire Academies in Hertfordshire Educational institutions established in 2000 Borehamwood 2000 establishments in England Shenley