Academy school in Staffordshire planned for families of military
A £17.5 million academy school will be built in Staffordshire to cater for hundreds of soldiers' families, under plans which have been revealed today.
The school, expected to teach both primary and secondary school pupils, will be based in Stafford to cope with an influx of 1,200 troops due to transfer to the Beaconside barracks by 2015.
Private company Capita will bankroll the scheme as part of the deal it struck with Staffordshire County Council to take over school support services from April next year.
Under the terms of the contract 4,000 cooks, cleaners and grounds maintenance staff will transfer from the council to Capita.
And finance boss Councillor Ian Parry confirmed today a new school had been agreed in principle subject to the relocation of the soldiers to MoD Stafford.
A final decision on that move, which will see 1 Signal Regiment relocate to Beaconside, is expected in 2013.
It is part of proposals to expand the site, safeguarding its future.
Councillor Parry said: "There's likely to be a demand for an academy to go along with the military coming to Stafford.
"We are looking at the schools requirement for both primary and secondary in that part of the county."
