Schools
Government to fund new £50m secondary school in Walsall
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Work to develop a new £50 million-pound secondary school in Walsall – funded by central government – will now proceed.
Following announcements from the Department for Education, Walsall has been selected as one of 16 new free schools in England. The school will create approximately 1000 additional places for local children and young people. The school will include a sixth form provision and 24 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) high needs places.
The Department has proposed the school is developed on the former Reedswood golf course site. The site is council-owned land and situated adjacent to Reedswood Park. The Department carried out an extensive feasibility study in autumn 2023.
“ We’re delighted to have received confirmation of a new, secondary school for our borough.
It’s been a long time coming but this investment is going to help educate a thousand of Walsall’s next generation so they can receive a local, high-quality education. The new school will help us manage the long-term demand for school places, and we have undergone a substantial amount of data analysis to look at getting the right number of school places, in the right areas where our communities need them.
This is a real-life example of how our We Are Walsall 2040 vision is progressing, to create a borough we’re proud of, and one that our children and young people can grow up in, learn at a school in a community they belong in, and can go on to thrive, be happy and achieve to their fullest potential. We’re working closely with the Department for Education on the scheme and welcome the next steps to keep this project moving forward. “
The Department for Education has selected educational partners to deliver each of its new schools across the country. In Walsall, the school will be delivered by Windsor Academy Trust. The trust already has two primary schools in the borough, Goldsmith Primary Academy and Rivers Primary Academy.
“ We are pleased that Walsall has been selected for this significant investment, and that Windsor Academy Trust has been chosen as the education partner for the new secondary school; an inclusive mainstream school with specialist provision. This £50 million project will create much-needed, high-quality secondary school places right here in the borough, building upon the excellent work we already do at Goldsmith and Rivers Primary Academies. We are committed to developing a school that empowers every student to unlock both their academic and personal potential and supports the local community to thrive. We look forward to working closely with Walsall Council, the Department for Education and other schools locally to move this project forward. “
Free schools are directly funded by central government, and this funding must be spent on creating new school provision opposed to updating or maintaining existing schools in Walsall.
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