David Davis welcomes plans for East Riding’s first free school

As published in the Hull Daily Mail:
First free school gets go-ahead: Hunsley Primary School to be built in Brough South

‘Innovative’: Executive principal Chris Abbott with MP David Davis and the plans for the new school.

Plans for the East Riding’s first free school have won the go-ahead from Education Secretary Michael Gove. The Hunsley Primary School will open in Brough in September next year.

The 210-place school, to be built as part of the new £100m Brough South development, will have a particular focus on science and maths.

Academy leaders at the “outstanding” South Hunsley School and Sixth Form College have linked up with developers on plans for the £3m primary, which will operate outside council control.

Chris Abbott, executive principal of Hunsley Trust, said: “The Humber region is becoming a hub for the new renewables industry and we know from our experience at South Hunsley School that there is a high level of demand for science, maths and technology courses.

“We felt this would be a fortuitous time to introduce something different, innovative and unique to the primary sector in East Yorkshire and we are delighted the Department for Education has supported our application and granted approval for the opening of Hunsley Primary.”

Miss Abbott said the academy has been overwhelmed by local support for the scheme.

She said: “To date, we have had well over 100 families come to our consultation events and put forward support for our proposals.

“We will continue to work with our local community to make sure Hunsley Primary can equip our local children with the interest, skills and knowledge required for future academic success and, ultimately, to improve their employability in our local region.”

Haltemprice and Howden MP David Davis said the South Hunsley team behind the free school has an excellent track record, including an “outstanding” Ofsted rating.

He said: “Their hard work and dedication to the education of the children in the area has paid off and I applaud them on their success.”

The Department for Education has given its approval for the primary as part of its free school programme.

It will provide funding to equip the school with the resources required to deliver an innovative scientific theme-based curriculum.

This will include a specialist technical room, which will function as a laboratory, workshop and digital exploration centre fitted with Apple TV to allow for scientific and technical experimentation.

Interim head Lucy Hudson said: “We are committed to developing an innovative free school that will impact positively on lives in the community and provide opportunities for all its children to make outstanding progress.

“In particular, it will stimulate and challenge children as mathematicians and scientists.”

The primary will focus on developing scientific skills from an earlier age.

Hunsley Primary School is one of four new free schools approved this week in Yorkshire, taking the total to 25 across the region, creating about 12,000 school places overall.