Coventry City Council applied for Sidney Stringer to become an Academy, opening in existing buildings in September 2010 and new buildings the following year. The City Council is itself a major sponsor, together with the City (FE) College with Coventry University and Jaguar Cars. It formed part of the city's Swanswell Regeneration Initiative in Hillfields. The formal consultation exercise undertaken in February 2008 revealed the support for the school from the local community, with over 80% of respondents demanding that the name of the school remain the same. The specialisms of the new school would be Mathematics, and Design and Technology.