Minister welcomes new opportunities for Dudley students
Schools minister Nick Gibb has welcomed the news of a new sixth form college in Dudley as 'A great opportunity' for people in the town.
Eton College will be one of the partners in the project, which Mr Gibb said will enhance educational opportunity and possibilities for youngsters in the Black Country.
The college and partner Star Academies will set up three state sixth forms in Dudley, Middlesbrough and Oldham after the Department for Education (DfE) approved the plans.
Mr Gibb said it would give post GCSE students a chance to apply for one to the 24 members of the Russell Group's universities, which include Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Leeds.
He admitted the timeline of setting up the new establishment in two years would be challenging but pledged to work with Dudley Council to establish a site for the college, which would 'enhance opportunities' for teenagers in the town.
He said: "The areas that have been identified are in parts of the country where education outcomes are more limited and this will give them a great opportunity to address that if indeed they want to go onto university.
"The teaming up of Star Academy and Eton College will provide a dynamic centre of learning for people to go on and study after sixth form – not only will the educational provision be first class but the facilities provided will be as well.
"At the moment we have 160 free schools in the pipeline across the spectrum of education, with 40 due to open in September. It is part of the Levelling Up programme which aims to provide opportunities in all areas of society for people who might not normally get them.
"We will work in conjunction with Star Academy, Eton College and Dudley Council to find a site and establish the sixth form which will enhance what is already available in Dudley and give ordinary kids a gateway to a very good university education."
"Free schools and academies have been central to this government’s work to raise school standards, 88 per-cent of schools now rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, up from 68 per-cent in 2010.
"We want to improve this further and we see the Dudley project as a very important part of an overall strategy to do just that."
with 88% of schools now rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, up from 68% in 2010. In classrooms, England’s children have shot up the international rankings for reading and our 9- and 10-year-olds are now the best in the western world.
