Views sought over school’s temporary site proposal

VIEWS are being sought on Frome’s new free school, a Steiner Academy,  following the announcement that the school will be housed in a temporary location in Corsley for the first 12-18 months. The revised proposal is to open the new school for 4 to 16 year olds first at the Corsley Centre in the village of Corsley, before moving to the proposed permanent location at the Park Road Hospital site in Frome town centre. Prospective parents, pupils and other members of the community in Frome are being asked to share their views on the proposals for the school.Lead proposer Guy Marson said, “We recognise that this is new information and we are keen to hear the views of the local community on the proposed temporary accommodation, which itself was a former primary school.“When we first proposed the academy we were hopeful it could be located temporarily on the preferred permanent site at the former Park Road Hospital in Frome. However, after extensive discussion we are clear that this solution does not deliver what we require in terms of providing a distinct Steiner education in the most cost-effective way.“While we remain committed to the refurbished Park Road Hospital as our permanent home, we are proposing that the academy is located in the Corsley Centre, Corsley for its first 12 to 18 months. The centre, a former primary school, is four miles east of Frome, is excellently equipped and offers a light, spacious environment in which to deliver a Steiner education. It also offers safe, outdoor space for pupils to use.”The consultation, which also invites views on a revision to the admissions policy, launched on 29th March and concludes on Thursday 3rd May.The local community has a number of ways to get involved in the consultation: via the website, where they can complete an online questionnaire available at www.proposedSAF.org.uk and via a leaflet which is being distributed through local libraries, places of worship and community groups.The all-through school, to be known as Steiner Academy Frome, will be based on Steiner principles, which emphasise the long-term value of developing strong imaginative, social and interpersonal and language skills in reception and year 1 before the introduction of formal learning. In common with many countries in the world the introduction of formal literacy and numeracy will take place in year 2.If granted approval by the Secretary of State for Education, the academy will open in temporary accommodation this year for children in reception through to year 4. The academy will have a maximum of 26 pupils in each year group. It will grow year on year to become an all-through academy for pupils aged up to 16. There will be opportunities for community members to meet the team at two drop-in meetings, on Tuesday 17th April, 1pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm at the Corsley Centre in Corsley and on Friday 20th April, 2pm-7pm at Frome Library.