New planned free school would have practical skills on curriculum
PLANS for a new eco-friendly free school aim to transform the learning experience for pupils who attend.
Chairman of the school’s board of trustees, Andrew Moore, says the school will adopt a project-based learning approach where pupils focus on practical skills as well as just learning to pass exams.
The school aims to open in Great Harwood in 2018 and will now apply for government funding, with the backing of The New Schools Network Programme, which provides tailored support to free school groups as they work through the Department for Education application process.
Andrew, a police inspector, said: “There is a rich history around engineering and science in Lancashire. You can see that from employers in the area such as British Aerospace.
“We will still follow the national curriculum but pupils’ education will be so much broader than just looking at textbooks.”
Trustees of the planned Evergreen School, which would focus on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects, also say the school will meet growing population needs in the area and mean children there no longer have to commute by bus to school.
The school will only employ fully qualified teachers with a PGCE qualification and will still have Ofsted inspections. The difference will be in the learning approach.
Andrew said the project-based learning approach would help children learn better and translate what they learned into ‘something more tangible’.
He added that the design of the school would also be environmentally friendly.
In terms of time spent travelling to school, he said: “We know 125 school pupils are bussed out of Great Harwood daily.
“Many spend the equivalent of 34 school days per year commuting to school and it costs up to £540 for an LCC seasonal bus pass.
“School travel subsidies in Lancashire are facing large cuts and for many families travelling to schools outside the borough this is going to be a real problem.”
No further details of a proposed site for the school are available.