WORCESTER’s proposed new secondary school will be built in the Newtown Road area of the city, county education chiefs have revealed.
Ahead of a cabinet meeting on Thursday (November 18) to discuss the proposals further, a detailed assessment of site options has been undertaken and revealed.
A number of factors including the location of the pupils the school will serve, the location of existing secondary schools, access to active travel routes, impact on highways and traffic congestion and the impact on the local environment and existing communities have been considered
As a result, the Newtown Road area of the city has been ear-marked for the new school, subject to recommendations and permissions.
The item will allow cabinet members to evaluate the progress of the project so far and approve the next stages which include another opportunity for parents to have their say.
Nearly 600 responses were received as part of the first round of engagement on the new secondary school project.
More than 80 per cent of those who had their say agreed or strongly agreed a new secondary school in Worcester was needed.
Coun Marcus Hart, cabinet member for Education said: “We know that the new school in Worcester is something that the local communities and wider have really supported and really feel will benefit the city and I am pleased to be able to bring a positive update on this to Cabinet.
“Now that the project is moving forward, we are really keen to hear from all stakeholders on the council’s current proposal for the school, so I would urge people to fill out the consultation form on our website when it launches at the beginning of December and have their say.”
The next stage of consultation will ask parents to share their thoughts on the council’s proposal on the age range of the school, the size of the school, the values of the school and the build principles of the school.
Any new school will be delivered by Worcestershire County Council and run by an Academy sponsor.
The process to appoint a sponsor will run in the Autumn Term of 2021 and will follow the Department for Education (DfE) Free School Presumption Process.
Visit www.worcestershire.gov.uk/newsecondaryschool for more.
