Academy opening in Staffordshire is a UK first

Britain's first Rural Enterprise Academy was opening its doors in Staffordshire today.

The £4 million academy near Penkridge is among the country's second wave of free schools. It will teach agricultural and environmental studies to a first intake of 90 Year 10 and 30 Year 12 pupils.

It will be housed at first within existing buildings at South Staffordshire College's Rodbaston campus in Stafford Road. There is an aim of adding a new building by April next year.

New principal Lorraine Makin said: "This is a tremendously exciting opportunity created because of the demand from local communities to offer something different for Year 10 and above school students across Staffordshire and beyond."

The academy is one of 55 new free schools being launched this term, more than twice the number that opened last year. Free schools are state-funded but not under local authority control.

The academy has been designed to develop students' skills in rural subjects.