Bluecoat Trent Academy plans given the go-ahead
NEW FREE SCHOOL WILL BE BUILT ON FORMER CLARENDON COLLEGE SITE
FUNDING has been allocated to allow a former college site to become a new secondary free school in Nottingham.
During an Executive Board meeting at Nottingham City Council on Tuesday, plans were agreed to use just over £5m Government funding to buy and redevelop the Clarendon College site in Pelham Avenue, off Mansfield Road as well as refurbish the Nottingham College site in Maid Marian Way to turn it into a temporary sixth form centre.
The Clarendon College site will be turned into a new secondary free school, called Bluecoat Trent Academy.
Leader of Nottingham City Council, David Mellen, who is also portfolio holder for schools, led the discussion and outlined the proposal to address much-needed secondary school places in the city.
He said: “This is a success story really, a provision that is needed because we have more children wanting to go to school in our city.
“We know that there has been a bulge in primary schools, we’ve had to add extra places in primary schools over the last few years.
“We’re now in a position where those children are moving into secondary schools and there won’t be enough places in September for those children unless we increase provision.
“The only way we can open a new secondary school in our city is by means of a free school and Government has agreed for a free school to be opened in Nottingham and funded that application by Archway Learning Trust that runs four secondary schools in the city.
“They’ve got permission to build this new school and will, through the allocation of our money, be able to purchase the site of the college at Clarendon having vacated, or in the process of doing so, given their new site in Canal Street.
“They will be building a new school even though they will be using some of the existing buildings. It will take some time and so will not be ready for September but the children will be there ready waiting for places.”
In a move described as a “threeway arrangement”, new Bluecoat Trent Year 7s starting in September will be located at the existing Bluecoat Sixth Form building at the Aspley Lane campus.
In the meantime, sixth form students will be temporarily relocated to Maid Marian Way, as students there move into the new City Hub site.
The £5.05 million allocated is divided into £3.25 million to go towards acquiring and associated costs of the Clarendon College site and an additional £1.8m to refurbish the Maid Marian Way site for its use as a temporary sixth form base for up to three years.
Applications for the first Year 7 cohort have already been taken for Bluecoat Trent Academy, which released the details on location earlier this year.
Castle Ward councillor Sam Webster, who is also portfolio holder for finance, growth and the city centre, said: “Overall I think what these recommendations outline is growth and confidence in the city. It’s new investment into the city.
“It’s good news for those communities in the neighbourhoods around the Clarendon site in terms of what’s going to happen there in the future. So new investment, new jobs and those very important new secondary school places.
“Communities in Mapperley, Forest Fields, Hyson Green and Sherwood will benefit greatly from this. I think in general when we see schools growing it means the city is more popular than it’s ever been before.”
Sherwood Ward councillor Adele Williams, portfolio holder for local transport, added: “I welcome development in that area that means kids will be able to access that site safely by active travel.
“We’re currently discussing with the DFE how to secure some land to enable us to continue a cycle route through that area, so that would be good news as well in the area of active travel.”
Claire Mcmanus, Principal of Bluecoat Trent said: “Archway Learning Trust are pleased to hear about the funding approval from Nottingham City Council and look forward to work starting on the build of the new Bluecoat Trent Academy at the former Clarendon College site.
“We have received over 280 applications for a place at Bluecoat Trent Academy for this September and we are excited to welcome our first cohort of Year 7 pupils this Autumn.”