Following years of frustration for parents and councillors who have campaigned for a new secondary school in North Kingston, the DfE has finally announced today that a new free school will be provided at the North Kingston Centre from September 2014.

Kingston Educational Trust (KET) made up of Kingston University, Kingston College and Education Kingston (including Kingston Council) put forward proposals to the Secretary of State at the end of 2012 which have been accepted.

Michael Gove passed legislation which stopped Kingston Council from establishing its own school and said that he would only fund a new school that was a community led free school.

I am thrilled that we can finally get on and deliver an exciting new secondary school for our children in North Kingston.  Previous Council decisions to build a new school were thwarted by Government policy so this news is of huge relief to parents. 

says Leader of the Council

Parents in North Kingston fought for this to happen, help shape the proposals and I am delighted all their hard work has paid off.  In particular I  would like to thank the 850 parents who expressed their support for the bid.

added Cllr Dave Ryder-Mills, Lead Member for Education