Preferential treatment row over £10m free school site go-ahead

The King’s Science Academy in Bradford is currently based in temporary accommodation but aims to move to a new base in the Lidget Green area of the city which is facing a shortage of school places.

A Bradford Council planning panel meeting is expected to approve an application for a new school building on Thursday.

If it gets the go ahead it will be the first major capital spending project on the Government’s flagship free schools programme in Yorkshire. According to King’s website the new facility is expected to cost £10 or £11m.

Bradford East MP David Ward, a Liberal Democrat backbencher has accused the Government of giving preferential treatment to free school funding because they are Education Secretary Michael Gove’s “brainchild”.

Bradford was one of six education authorities hit by Mr Gove’s decision to cancel the Building Schools for the Future Programme in 2010 which meant £337m of funding was lost.

Mr Ward said: “We can understand if the Government says that it cannot afford to carry out the rebuild and repairs needed, we understand that there is an economic crisis but I cannot understand how they can then find money for a particular type of school because it is part of their ideological project.”

Bradford Council’s executive member for children’s services Coun Ralph Berry said it was frustrating that money could be found for free schools but added: “We do need the places and a school will be needed here one way or another so I am being flexible and pragmatic about this.”

Free schools are a key policy of the Conservative-led coalition which has encouraged parents, teachers, businesses and existing schools to set up their own state funded schools if they can prove there is parental demand.

King’s Science Academy was one of the first three free schools in Yorkshire and 24 across the country launched in September, last year. It is also planning to launch a second free school in Sheffield in the Darnall area.

King’s is being led by Bradford-born Oxford graduate Sajid Hussain Raza who is part of the Future Leader programme which aims to fast-track outstanding teachers into management positions.

King’s is one of two new free schools – along with Rainbow Primary – to be based the same former Muslim private school building in Manningham. Batley Grammar was also relaunched as a free school last year converting from the private sector.

Rainbow Primary is also looking for a new site to move to. A spokeswoman for the Partnerships for Schools agency told the Yorkshire Post that it was actively looking for a suitable site in Bradford for the Rainbow free school which was set up by ATL, a not-for profit enterprise organisation in the city. King Science Academy’s new building is expected to include an indoor sports hall and changing room facilities, three large all-weather courts and specialist areas for design and technology, graphics, music, drama and art and design.

Bradford has been at the forefront of the free school movement. Last year the Government gave initial approval for three more new schools to be opened in the city under this programme.

Dixon’s Academy, an existing school is set to open up two at both primary and secondary level while the One-in-a-Million charity based at Bradford City football club has been given backing to create a small secondary school.