£46m school that has no playground

Built at a cost of £46.4million, it will boast the state-of-the-art features befitting Britain's dearest state school.

These will include a "wetland eco pool" planted with wild flowers.

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But one facility not on the list is a playground - because the school authorities consider it is not necessary.

They think pupils should be treated like company employees and do not need "unstructured" time to play games and kick footballs around.

And they claim there is no need for a playground because pupils won't be bored by their "learning experience".

The 2,200-pupil academy, due to open in the autumn, will be one of the biggest in Europe and will replace three schools in Peterborough.

It is one of the showcases of Tony Blair's academies programme, which began in 2000.

Designed by Lord Foster, architect of the "Gherkin" office tower in central London, it has already been nicknamed the Blancmange because of its rounded shape.

Headmaster Alan McMurdo said: "We are not intending to have any play time. Pupils won't need to let off steam because they will not be bored."

Miles Delap, project manager, added: "For a school of this size, a playground would have had to be huge. That would have been almost uncontrollable.

"We have taken away an uncontrollable space to prevent bullying and truancy."

The school will be divided into six "colleges". Pupils will have a tightlystructured day which includes exercise in the form of PE classes and organised games on playing fields next to the school.

They will be escorted to the dining hall for their 30-minute lunchbreak to ensure no child slips away for a quick run around.

Pupils will be allowed to drink water during lessons or, as Mr McMurdo put it, "hydrate during the learning experience".

Mother- of-three Anne Kerrison said her 14-year-old son Matthew was devastated when he discovered that he would not be able to kick a football around at lunchtime.

"All children need fresh air and a chance to exercise during the school day," she said. "Break times are the only unstructured time they get."

Ian Andain, head at a comprehensive in Liverpool, said: "There has to be bit of open space to play football. It is important that pupils can have a run around and expend energy."

Margaret Morrissey, from the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, said:

"I find this pretty hard to believe. OK, pupils will have PE but that's in an enclosed space where they don't get the fresh air which is really important and helps them learn.

"I think the Government need to look very seriously about what is happening with these academies."

The academies are state schools but independent of local councils and are sponsored by private firms which have a say in the management.

In September last year there were 46 with another 48 planned to open in 2007. The Government has promised to have 200 open or in development by 2010.

In March 2005 the Commons Education and Skills Committee said it would be better to limit the expansion to 50 at most until the scheme could be properly evaluated.

Thomas Deacon is not the first school in the country not to build a playground.

Unity city academy in Middlesbrough opened in 2002 amid bitter criticism from government inspectors about poor design. It later built one.