Government approves more than 130 free schools

The Government has given the go-ahead for the largest wave of free schools this Parliament to meet the expected rise in demand for school places

The Department for Education today approved applications for 131 new schools, creating more than 69,000 places.

Wave 12 includes new grammar schools and the largest state boarding school in the country.

Education secretary Justine Greening said that the government was now on track to meet its manifesto commitment of opening 500 more new free schools by September 2020.

Since 2015 around 124 free schools have opened, with a further 376 now set to open by 2020 including the schools announced today.

Approved Wave 12 schools

111 free schools in total creating 67,718 new school places:

• 18 schools in the East of England, creating 8,875 places
• 9 schools in the East Midlands, creating 8,105 places
• 7 schools in Yorkshire and the Humber, creating 4,006 places
• 2 schools in the North East, creating 204 places
• 5 schools in the North West, creating 4,610 places
• 27 schools in the South East, creating 15,429 places
• 15 schools in the South West, creating 7,721 places
• 12 schools in the West Midlands, creating 9,060 places
• 16 schools in London, creating 9,708 places

20 local authority areas also have been approved to each create a new special school for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities taking the total number of approvals to 131.

These will be created in Bedford, Blackpool, Bradford, Bristol, Cheshire East, Croydon, Doncaster, Enfield, Essex, Hampshire, Havering, Herefordshire, Hounslow, Manchester, Portsmouth, Redbridge, Sheffield, South Gloucestershire, Suffolk and Sunderland.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/04/12/government-approves-more-than-130-free-schools/

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