New 1,150-pupil secondary school to open in Walsall next year
A new secondary school catering for more than 1,100 pupils will open next year in Walsall.
The Department for Education has approved a proposal for The Blakenall School to go ahead with the first pupils set to be welcomed from September 2018.
The free school, which will be run by the Windsor Academy Trust, will initially take in 180 new Year 7 students but will be able to cater for 1,150 in total including a sixth form for 250 pupils.
Keith Sorrell, chief executive of the Windsor Academy Trust said: “We are absolutely delighted that Blakenall Free School has been approved.
"It is our aim for Blakenall Free School to provide a world class education serving young people aged 11-18 from the Blakenall community.”
The trust already runs two secondary schools in Kingswinford and Halesowen, both of which are currently rated 'Good' by Ofsted.
While the organisation has five primary schools in the Walsall and Dudley boroughs.
The Blakenall School will predominantly serve two of those; Rivers Primary Academy on Mersey Road which has around 190 pupils, and Goldsmith Primary Academy on Goldsmith Road which has around 330 students.
Trust bosses have previously said pupils will where a uniform while those in the sixth form will be asked to adhere to a smart dress code.
Walsall Council member for Blakenall Ian Robertson welcomed the new school stating it would be needed with more than 700 new homes on the horizon for the area.
However he was sceptical it would be built in time for September.
Councillor Robertson said: "I am very much in favour of better access to education nearer to the pupils that actually need it. Free schools seem to be the only show in town so if that's the only way we can deliver it then it has to be welcomed.
"They are building around 750 new homes in Blakenall so primary and secondary places must increase.
"I do think the timescale for it to be built is very, very short now and they are being a bit optimistic."
A specific site has yet to be indicated by the trust.
Visit www.theblakenallschool.org for more information on the project.
