Parents win go-ahead for free school (From Warrington Guardian)

Parents win go-ahead for free school in Daresbury

10:49am Friday 28th October 2011 in Daresbury

A FREE school to be located near to Daresbury labs has been given the green light by the Government.

Sandymoor School will accommodate secondary pupils and a sixth form near the world class Daresbury science campus.

It is set to open in temporary portable classrooms in September 2012 with 80 year seven pupils, and gradually expand.

It is among the latest 55 free schools to be funded by Westminster driven by local people keen to revolutionise education in their community.

Five Runcorn parents are behind the successful bid.

Richard Eastburn, from Sandymoor, said: “It is a phenomenally exciting journey.

“We are very positive. It will be very good for the area.”

A public consultation document drawn up with the Department of Education will seek the views of people over 10 weeks.

Mr Eastburn said: “We have a lot of plans, thoughts and ideas.

“We have put a lot of time and effort into the 300-page bid document.

“We have a broad range and diverse range of skills in architecture, IT and higher education. Now, we’ve been approved, we will have experts to help us.

“Before, we had to do all the research.

“It is a massive project but once the school opens, it will be subject to the same scrutiny as any other school, with Ofsted reports and the way it is run financially.

“To meet the national curriculum, we will have to have a full range of teachers and subjects.

“It is a privilege to be involved in this project. It is the combination of a lot of hard work so far and still to come.”