Academy trusts are being invited by Peterborough City Council to submit an expression of interest to operate a new primary school in in Great Haddon, a developing township south of the city.
The council will lead and fund the building of the school and work with the successful academy trust to ensure its successful opening. Plans for the school are due to be signed off by the Secretary of State for Education in Spring 2025, with the school set to open in September that year.
Expressions of interest can be made here by filling out a short form and registering with the council. A specification for the school can be found below.
Councillor Katy Cole, cabinet member for children’s services at Peterborough City Council, said: “Peterborough is one of the country’s fastest growing cities and we are committed to ensuring that we have the right infrastructure in place to meet the demands of a growing population which will need additional school places.
“We are now inviting academy trusts who are interested in operating Great Haddon primary school to submit proposals over how they would do so. This is a unique and exciting opportunity for trusts to get involved in a good quality school that will be essential for the township as it develops.”
The 420-place primary school will serve new families moving into Great Haddon. It will potentially open one reception class of up to 30 children in September 2025, initially being based at a temporary location nearby.
The school will move to its permanent location in Great Haddon a year later, in September 2026. Once established, it will provide places for 60 children in each year group. Construction is due to begin in June 2025 subject to planning permission being granted.
It will be the first school that the city council will deliver via the free school presumption route. This means it will be a state-funded academy school independent of local authority control and will receive its funding directly from Government.
Once finished, the township of Great Haddon is expected to provide 5,350 homes, 9,000 jobs, four schools (three primary and one secondary), three shopping centres and sports facilities.