WITH only a few weeks until a bid is formally submitted, New College are confident they will be able to get the support needed for a new free school.

The college is looking to open a secondary school in North Swindon, which is facing a huge shortage of places in the coming years.

To improve the chance of being successful, 750 signatures are needed from parents to say they support the bid, which must be submitted by October 10.

As it stands, the college is 100 short of its target but around 50 signatures are being added every week.

Graham Taylor, the principal of New College, said: “At the rate people are signing then we are on course to hit our target on October 7.

“We have put together a draft document which is being looked over by the Free Schools Network before it is sent, along with the signatures to the Department of Education.

“I think the biggest barrier for us has been letting parents know that they are not signing up to the school but simply saying they want the choice.

“That is what we are offering. Without the school there will be a screaming shortage of places. Simply put, a lot of young people will have to travel out of town to go to a secondary school.”

The New College application is one of two which will be put forward next month which is the final allocated dates for bids to be submitted to the government.

The Diocese of Bristol is also looking to open a free school in 2016 which will be focused on meeting the shortfall in places in the central and southern areas of the town.

While exact numbers of signatures are not known, John Swainston of the diocese says the bid is progressing well.

He said: “It is all hands on deck at the moment but things are progressing. It is important to say though we are not in competition with the New College bid. There is room for both of the bids.

“Over the next week we are working together to speak with headteachers and governors about the bids.

“At this stage we have several locations we have identified we would like the school to go if the bid is successful but it will be the government who eventually decide.”

For more information on both of the school bids and how to add a signature then visit www.newschoolfornorthswindon.org and www.newtown.academy