Millions for new school places in Thurrock
PORTFOLIO Holder for Education, Cllr James Halden is delighted the Government have agreed to fund three bids to build brand new schools in Thurrock.
The news, which was announced today, agrees funding to the South West Essex Community Education Trust, who run William Edwards, St Clere’s Co-Operative Academy Trust who run St Clere’s Academy, to build a new secondary school each and Treetops Special Free School.
Cllr Halden said: “This is amazing investment. We understand that funding could reach around £60 million will be spent building two new schools in Thurrock. When I became Cabinet Member for Education, I put in place a lobby team to work with schools to bring the investment into Thurrock that we need. This massive investment from the government shows how successful and strong the relationship is between the council and our family of schools is.
“We supported these three bids to meet the growing demand – I have complete faith that William Edwards and St Clere’s and Treetops will continue to offer students a fantastic education setting. It is our policy to expand our strongest multi academy trusts to ensure we build more great school places for children and continue to expand the capacity and resilience of our education family.
“The council and schools working together has seen massive investment committed to Thurrock by the government. This will build more good school places and strengthen the capacity of our entire education family as we continue to build a borough that works for everyone.
“This is in addition to the Local Authority having already demonstrated great leadership by working with successful Multi Academy Trusts to secure funding to develop a new school in Purfleet – run by Harris, and opening in September 2017, and we have even more exciting projects in the pipeline.
“There are currently 17,000 children in Thurrock primary schools, but only 9,500 places available in our secondary schools. It is essential therefore that we build capacity to meet this growing demand.”
The three new schools are: Orsett Heath Academy; mainstream, co-educational, non-faith, 8FE, 1,200 place secondary with a sports specialism;
Thameside Secondary School; mainstream, co-educational, non-faith, 6FE, 900 place secondary;
Treetops Special Free School; special, co-edicational, non-faith, all-through school with 140 places for pupils between the ages of 4-16 catering for Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) (84 places) and Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) (56 places. Provision for ASC children will begin at age three.
