New Blakenall secondary school on the way for 950 pupils
A new school for more than 950 students could throw open its doors in Walsall as early as next year.
The Windsor Academy Trust wants to open The Blakenall School – a new free secondary school and sixth form – by September 2018.
The trust already runs Rivers Primary Academy and the Goldsmith Primary Academy in the borough.
According to council documents, the school would welcome 950 pupils from years 7-11, as well as 22 sixth form pupils.
However headteachers at surrounding schools have raised concern over the negative impact a new school could have on existing ones and whether there is sufficient demand in the Blakenall area.
The plans were discussed at a cabinet meeting yesterday.
On its proposal to open the new school, the trust says: "Our new secondary school will form part of the government's free school programme and will be funded directly by central government's Education Funding Agency (EFA).
"We want to work with Walsall Council in its desire to address low levels of access to higher education and lack of employment outcomes in the Blakenall area."
Blakenall councillor Ian Robertson welcomed the plans, saying: "Anything which brings more education opportunities to Blakenall and reduces the need for our children to travel outside of the area is to be welcomed."
However, the results of a consultation with headteachers across the borough shows that there are concerns about the plans.
The report reads: "All of the responses received from secondary schools express concerns about the proposal by an independent sponsor to locate a 950 place secondary free school in the Blakenall area.
"These include whether there is sufficient demand in the Blakenall area of Walsall for an additional 950 place school and the potential negative impact on existing Walsall secondary schools in terms of funding, pupil numbers and teaching standards."
The decision rests with the Department for Education.
