Special needs 'free school' plan for Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton Vocational Training Centre, as the school will be known, is one of 38 new schools announced by Michael Gove today as part of the Government's flagship education policy.

The new school will cater for 50 pupils aged 16-19 who have special educational needs, or need specialist health and care needs.

The location of the new school has yet to be revealed, but it will be run with the support of the Central Learning Partnership Trust, which runs the Heath Park Academy in Wolverhampton, and manages two other schools in the city.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the new school would be a great boost to Wolverhampton.

"I'm delighted that Wolverhampton Vocational Training Centre will be opening in this area," he said.

"Free schools, many of which are set up by parents and teachers, are around twice as likely to be rated outstanding by Ofsted as other schools.

"As part of our long term economic plan, it's vital that we give all young people access to an excellent education, so they can learn the skills they need to get on in life and build a better future for our country.

"The plans this school has to drive up standards and help young people with special needs achieve their full potential are truly commendable."

Central Learning Partnership Trust was formed in 2011 when the management of Heath Park Academy in Heath Town took over the running of Moseley Park School in Bilston.

The previous year Moseley Park had been placed into special measures, but it has since had a remarkable turnaround, and was this year ranked as the fourth best school in the city for GCSE results.

Woden Primary School in Springfield Road is also now part of the trust, along with two schools in Rotherham.

Today's announcement will see a total of six new schools being created in the West Midlands, creating an extra 4,000 places.

In Birmingham, the Perry Beeches Academy Trust - which already runs two schools in the city - has been given the go-ahead to open three more.

Also in Birmingham, The Edge Academy will cater for youngsters at risk, or excluded from mainstream education, in the Longbridge, Northfield and Weoley Castle areas of the city.

In Coventry, the Sidney Stringer Academy has been given the go-ahead to set up a primary school providing 420 places for youngsters.

Mr Gove said free schools were giving thousands of children from ordinary backgrounds the kind of education previously reserved for the rich and the fortunate.

"Thanks to our free school programme, many more parents across the West Midlands will now have access to a new school offering high standards and tough discipline," he said.

"Free schools put teachers, not bureaucrats and politicians, in the driving seat, as they are the ones who know their pupils best.

"As part of our long-term economic plan, we are determined to deliver the best schools and skills for our young people, and free schools are achieving exactly that."