An application for a new state-funded free school in London’s East End outside local education authority control has been shortlisted by the Department for Education.
Parents with primary-age children campaigning to deal with oversubscribed numbers in secondary schools in Tower Hamlets submitted a bid in January.
They have now reached the interview stage taking place on April 3 for the proposed London Enterprise Academy, which would open in September, 2014, if the bid succeeds.
“The focus must be on helping our children reach their full potential,” said father-of-two Ashid Ali, an assistant east London head-teacher leading the group. “Receiving confirmation from the Department for Education that our bid is shortlisted is great news for all of us in the project.”
The group has been campaigning for a free school since July to get more places in an overcrowded East End with its growing population.
The Academy would be a secondary school for children aged 11 to 16 with emphasis on English and maths, outdoor learning and a focus on business mentoring.
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