The Weston Road Academy is an academy school in Stafford, England. It provides secondary and further education for pupils aged 11–18 in the east side of the town, as well as the surrounding villages of Great Haywood, Little Haywood, Hopton, Weston and Hixon. It has links to other local high schools through an education collaboration (the Stafford Sixth form) which provides education for 16-18 year olds. The school’s motto is ‘Aspiring and Believing to Achieve the Extraordinary’ and with this in mind they were looking to refurbish their lecture theatre to create an inspiring and impressive space for their students.

Through design engagement meetings with our trusted partner for specialist auditorium seating (Race Furniture) and Sally Hancox, Director of Finance at Weston Road Academy, we carried out a site survey to understand the space available, the brief and the functionality required from the seating. We created a drawing to accurately reflect the dimensions, seat angles, tiering and discussed suitable fabric options.  

The school selected a comfortable and stylish tip-up upholstered seat in tiered rows to maximise the space available, accommodate 200 students, and ensure clear sight lines for students to allow them visibility of the central stage. The colour palette of calming blue and grey tones for the fabric reflected the academy’s brand colours.

We carried out removal of the existing chairs and full installation of the new auditorium seating within the summer holidays so the students could return to their new and inviting lecture theatre at the start of the new school year.

• Tiered Auditorium Seating