(L-R) Helen Humphry (Chi Free School), Andrew Tyrie, Maureen Doyle (Chi Free School), Stephen King (Chi Free School) and Simon Webber (Chi Free School).
Andrew Tyrie, MP for Chichester, said: “This is great news. There is enormous support for this project, and I know that the Free School team has worked very hard to put together a successful bid. A lot of good can come from it.”
Mr Tyrie has strongly supported the project. On 9th May, he wrote to the Secretary of State for Education to highlight why a new school in Chichester is needed.
He said, “The new Free School is a great opportunity to improve the quality of educational provision in the West Sussex area. It will give parents greater choice at secondary level and address the current shortage of primary places on offer.”
The proposers will now begin the task of converting their vision into reality. Officials at the Department for Education will be working with lead applicants over the next year to ensure they have all the support they need. The Secretary of State will then decide whether to enter into a Funding agreement with the school so that is can open its doors in September 2013.
Free Schools are all-ability state-funded schools set up in response to what local people say they want and need in order to improve education for children in their community.
Unlike normal state-funded schools, they are not controlled by the local authority. This means they can set their own pay and conditions for staff; do not have to follow the National Curriculum; have control over their own budget; can change the length of school terms and the school day.
Free Schools will have the same Ofsted inspections as all state schools and will be expected to maintain the same high standards.
Chichester Free School (CFS) will cater for all children aged 4-18, from Chichester and the surrounding areas.
CFS will be organised into four houses, each one led by a ‘Head of House’. The head will have a core responsibility for creating an organised environment and ensuring that the learning environment meets the school’s high expectations.