Seven new schools to be built in region
EDUCATION: More than 4,000 new school places will be created in Yorkshire following the largest wave of free school approvals this Parliament. The Government has given the goahead for seven new schools.
MORE THAN 4,000 new school places will be created in Yorkshire following the largest wave of free school approvals this Parliament.
The Government has given the go-ahead for seven new schools – from primary schools to sixth form centres – to be built in the region to meet the growing demand for places.
Three will be built in Leeds, with North Yorkshire being granted approval for two, while Hull and Bradford will also get new schools.
The schools are among 131 announced by the Department for Education today to create more than 69,000 new school places nationally as part of its commitment to open 500 more new free schools by 2020. In addition, 20 local authority areas have been approved to create a new special school, including Sheffield.
Education Secretary Justine Greening said: “We need schools that can bring out the best in every single child no matter where they’re growing up, how much their parents earn, or however different their talents are.
“That’s why these new schools are so important – they give us the school places we need for the future, and they also give parents more choices to find a great school place in their area that’s right for their child.”
In Leeds, the South Bank Primary Academy will be part of the Gorse Academies Trust and will be built next to the £25m Ruth Gorse Academy, near the city centre. The new school will accept 420 pupils and will cater for 530 new homes that are set to be built in the area. The Laurence Calvert Academy will create a minimum of 900 places in the inner south area of the city and will be sponsored by the Cockburn MultiAcademy Trust. While the North West Leeds Sixth Form Centre, which will be run by Horsforth School, will have an intake of 400 Year 12 students.
Steve Walker, director of children and families at Leeds City Council, said: “The Government is committed to free schools and we will now work with the Regional Schools Commissioner and the free school proposers to deliver these new schools for Leeds children.”
The new primary schools in North Yorkshire include the Cambrai Community Primary School, at Catterick, which will be led by the Lingfield Academy Trust and will provide 420 places to meet demand created by the expansion of Catterick Garrison. The Keeble Gateway Academy will serve the Sowerby Gateway development, near Thirsk. The school will provide 210 places – the successful bid was submitted by the Elevate Multi-Academy Trust.
Pete Dwyer, North Yorkshire County Council’s corporate director of children and young people’s services, said: “We are delighted that the bids have been successful. We fully supported these bids because there is a real need for additional primary school places in both of these areas.”
The school in Bradford will be a Muslim faith secondary free school for boys, which will be run by the Tauheedul Education Trust, which runs four nonfaith schools in the city. The Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy will provide 800 places.
The Euler Academy in Hull, which will be overseen by the Venn Academy Trust, will be part special school and part alternative provision to meet the needs of pupils aged three to 19 with social, emotional and mental health issues, or who require early intervention due to issues affecting their schooling.
There are currently 28 free schools in Yorkshire, which are brand new schools set up as academies by groups including parents, teachers and charities.