Durham free school campaigners finalise funding bid (From The Northern Echo)

Durham free school campaigners finalise funding bid

1:03pm Thursday 23rd February 2012 in Durham City News By Mark Tallentire

A CAMPAIGN to create Durham’s first free school has moved a major step forward, with supporters submitting their project bid to the Government.

Parents, teachers and others hoping to open a secondary school serving villages south and east of Durham City posted their proposals, which run to hundreds of pages, to the Department for Education (DfE) on Thursday – ahead of Friday's deadline.

Craig Robinson, a father-of-two from Tudhoe and secretary and director of Durham Free School Limited, said: "We feel we have a strong case."

Campaigners faced a race against time to make their case for Government funding, after the deadline for bids was brought forward from May.

However, while they are still urging people to register their support, project leaders believe the proposed school’s first intake is now almost full.

The Durham Free School secondary school would open in September 2013, initially with a minimum of 60 year seven pupils only. It would then expand each year up to year 11 and possibly sixth form level.

Around 500 families have indicated it would their first-choice school, from which there are nearly 60 children of the right age to start year seven next year.

The campaign has been boosted by support from the New Schools Network, a charity set up by the DfE to help launch free schools.

It has also expanded its team to include experienced former headteachers and school governors.

DfE officials are expected to announce the latest shortlist of candidate free schools in June. If included, Durham Free School bosses could then sign a funding deal, recruit a Principal Designate and agree a school location.

The school would have a traditional Christian ethos and be directly responsible to and funded by the DfE, not Durham County Council.

The campaign was started by parents from areas which had struggled to get their children into Durham Johnston School.

Supporters say their admissions criteria would help those in ‘worst served areas’. Pupils would not be selected on performance grounds.

Critics fear a free school would damage neighbouring comprehensives but supporters say it would attract millions of pounds of extra funding and create jobs.

The first 24 free schools opened in 2011, with 72 more set to open this September.

For more information, visit durhamfreeschool.org