SWINDON made history yesterday – becoming the first town to have two successful free school bids in a single announcement.

Prime Minister David Cameron announced the Diocese of Bristol Acad-emies Trust and New College were to be given the funding to build secondary schools in the town.

It means that over the coming years millions of pounds will be spent on the schools, to meet demand as the town grows.

School Reform Minister, Nick Gibb, visited the UTC yesterday to formally make the announcement and said both bids were very strong.

He said: “To get through the very rigorous process does require a clear demonstration there is parental demand for a free school and you have to demonstrate you have the right teaching staff, the right curriculum and the whole project is feasible.

“To get through all the various interviews and paper application means they are very high quality bids.

“With both bids the curriculum was very strong and they showed a clear vision of just what it is that they want to achieve.”

The move has been welcomed by both Swindon MPs, who say the schools will have a big impact on the town.

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson has worked closely with New College, whose school will be called the Great Western Academy, and described his pride at hearing the bid was successful.

He said: “I am absolutely over the moon. This is the proudest moment for me as an MP.

“I have worked tirelessly to support the Great Western Academy bid with meetings in Swindon and Parliament.

“Having sorted primary school places, this was the next challenge and to get two schools is unprecedented.

“It shows just how much the Conservative government is investing rightfully in Swindon.

“We lose a huge number of students to schools outside the borough from the age of 11 which is why hopefully this will make such a big impact.”

Meanwhile, MP for South Swindon Robert Buckland has said the two schools will be a shot in the arm for education in Swindon and that the Diocese of Bristol is the best organisation to run the school, which will likely be located in Wichelstowe.

“This is not going to happen tomorrow but then we don’t want that,” he said.

“We want it to come online later in the decade because the numbers of young people in Swindon are rising and our current school capacity won’t be able to cater for all the young people who need education.

“If you look at these bids they are entirely appropriate for Swindon.

“The diocese will allow children of all faiths and none and I think it’s a very well put together bid.

“I understand it was one of the best bids in the country which made the decision of the DOE quite a straight forward one.”

 

'READY TO DELIVER'

THE organisations behind the two successful free school bids have said they are delighted at the news and confident they will deliver for the young people of Swindon.

The Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust is to be given funding for a secondary school likely to be built in the Wichelstowe area, while New College will build one in the north of the town.

Both submitted bids last October having received signatures from parents saying they supported the bid and then following a rigorous interview process, the government announced they were successful yesterday.

Initially the bids were to start in the 2016 year, but the Department of Education has said the schools will open at the start of 2017.

The diocese bid will be Swindon’s first Church of England secondary school but will accept youngsters of all and no faith. In total, 49 schools were given approval yesterday with this bid being described as the strongest.

John Swainston, the CEO of the academies trust, said: “We are absolutely delighted and are pleased to be given the opportunity to bring a Church of England School to the town.

“There won’t be a focused subject but we will be looking to promote a Christian ethos. By this we don’t mean a religious education but rather developing pupils into rounded individuals who are part of the community.

“When we actually open, parents will not notice much of a difference between us and any other school. There will be a fully rounded curriculum and we have no intention of employing unqualified teachers.

“The diocese operates 70 schools and has five in the trust with more to join in the summer so we feel we can be players within the community.”

The North Swindon school will provide a rounded curriculum  but with a focus on IT.  The exact location of the school is not known but it is likely to be either at Tadpole Farm or on the former Motorola site.

New College principal Graham Taylor said: “We’re delighted with the news but I am surprised to get it because I didn’t think the town would get two bids through. 

“I think it’s the first time which is great for Swindon. The Great Western Academy, as it is called, will be in the north of the town where there is a great demand for places.

“In the bid we put down three or four land options so it is now down to the DofE to negotiate that part. 

“That’s in their hands. We can do the education side as we have time to recruit a new head and get the curriculum sorted, working with local businesses to make sure it fits their needs.

“It’s a no-brainer to say that school-wide people learn using e-learners, IT and computing technology and that’s a given. The more we’re leading on that to complement the teaching, the better.”

 

Education with community control

Free schools, a concept which originated in Sweden, were adopted by the Coalition soon after they came to power in 2010.

A variety of organisations, from business to local residents, can bid to run a free school.

To put forward a bid, the interested party must show there is sufficient demand for places and the school is feasible.

Funding is provided by the Department of Education, who buy the site and if necessary the new building.

The scheme is currently seen as the only way to get a new secondary school.

However, the free school scheme has its critics, with some saying it allows unqualified people to be put in charge of education and that schools don’t necessarily go where demand is highest.