▁is ▁based ▁in ▁a ▁four - store y ▁building ▁which ▁has ▁facilities ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁Theatre , ▁Sports ▁Hall , ▁Library , ▁F it ness ▁Su ite ▁and ▁Digital ▁Edit ing ▁& ▁IT ▁su ites . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁only ▁ 3 8 % ▁of ▁local ▁children ▁in ▁the ▁London ▁Bor ough ▁of ▁Hamm ers m ith ▁and ▁Ful ham ▁went ▁to ▁local ▁state ▁schools . ▁This ▁led ▁the ▁council ▁to ▁launch ▁its ▁School s ▁of ▁Cho ice ▁programme ▁which ▁aim ed ▁to ▁provide ▁more ▁choice ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁growing ▁demand ▁for ▁school ▁places ▁in ▁the ▁bor ough ▁and ▁reduce ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁parents ▁to ▁send ▁their ▁children ▁to ▁schools ▁outside ▁of ▁Hamm ers m ith ▁and ▁Ful ham . ▁ ▁Pl ans ▁were ▁later ▁announced ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁for ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁a cademy ▁within ▁the ▁bor ough ▁which ▁would ▁be ▁spons ored ▁by ▁the ▁Mer cers ' ▁Company ▁and ▁the ▁Information ▁Techn olog ists ▁Company . ▁The ▁new ▁a cademy ▁would ▁open ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁and ▁be ▁designed ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁up ▁to ▁ 7 8 0 ▁mixed ▁ability ▁students ▁aged ▁ 1 1 – 1 8 , ▁with ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁St am ford ▁House ▁young ▁off enders ▁selected . ▁ ▁The ▁opening ▁was ▁later ▁pushed ▁back ▁to ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁and ▁building ▁work ▁began ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁It ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁Tom ▁Il