Free-school scheme teachers ask for help in choosing new name

The Bradford District Free School group wants to open a secondary school at the Douglas Mill building in the city from September next year.

It has submitted a bid to the Government and is waiting to hear whether the plan can progress to the business case stage.

Talks are also taking place with the owners of the Grade II listed Douglas Mill over the possibility of using part of the site of the 19th mohair spinning mill as a base for the new school.

Now parents are being invited to choose a name for the proposed school and find out more about the project.

Free schools are a flagship policy of the coalition Government. Parents, teachers and community groups are being urged to apply to set up their own state schools whenever they are unhappy with the choice on offer in their local authority.

The group behind the plans for an 11-16 free school for pupils from across the Bradford district says its vision is being driven by the need to create extra places in the city and to build links with local employers to tackle a skills shortage in the economy.

The group includes two people with experience of delivering secondary school education in Bradford.

Project leader Gerard Liston is the head of enterprise at Laisterdyke School, while Joan Law was the school’s former principal.

Mr Liston said: “We place as much importance on equipping young people with employability skills as we do on high academic achievement and we anticipate considerable interest.

“With recent statistics suggesting unemployment rates of 20 per cent for school leavers, this is clearly a concern for many parents.

“But it is also crucial for local employers, who need young people with the right skills and attitudes, as well as good, relevant qualifications.”

He added: “Parents of year five pupils should receive an invitation through their child’s primary school or they can express their interest on the campaign website at www.myschoolmyeducationmyfuture.org where they can find more about the school’s aims and objectives.”

Bradford has one of the fastest growing populations in the country and as a result is facing a shortfall of 40,000 places in the state school system within 10 years.

The pressure on providing extra places has also been fuelled by the Government’s decision to axe the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Rebuilding schemes for schools in the city had included plans to provided extra places.

There have been four free school applications from Bradford so far including two which have been accepted to the business case stage by the Government: The Rainbow Free School and the King’s Science Academy.

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