Proposed new schools

This page sets out all the confirmed and potential religiously selective schools that we’re currently aware of. We also have a page dealing with existing schools proposing to expand their intake. If you’ve heard about a proposal in your area that’s not listed, please get in touch and let us know.

If you’re concerned about the admissions arrangements of any school or potential new school then please visit our Get Involved page to find out what you can do.

Religiously designated Free Schools

The following applications to open Free Schools with a religious character have been ‘pre-approved’ (i.e. backed) by the Department for Education to open. These schools can admit up to 50% of students on the grounds of religion:

Local Authority	Free school name	Phase	Religion or belief	Year opening
Birmingham	The Birmingham Free School	Secondary	Muslim	2014
Bolton	Bolton Free School	Secondary	Muslim	2014
Coventry	Coventry Leadership Academy for Girls	Secondary	Muslim	2014
Coventry	Seva School	All through	Sikh	2014
Ealing	St Mary’s Church of England Primary School	Primary	Church of England	2014
Enfield	Meridian Water Academy – Primary Department	Primary	Church of England	2014
Hammersmith and Fulham	Fulham Boys School	Secondary	Church of England	2014
Lambeth	Trinity Academy	Secondary	Roman Catholic	2014
Lancashire	Burnley High School	Secondary	Christian – Chapel St	2014
Leicester	Falcons’ Primary School, Leicester	Primary	Sikh	2014
Merton	Raynes Park Community School	Primary	Christian – Chapel St	2014
Preston	The Preston Free School	Secondary	Muslim	2014
Slough	Slough Girls’ Leadership Academy	Secondary	Muslim	2014
Tower Hamlets	Canary Wharf College 2	Primary	Christian	2014
Waltham Forest	Waltham Forest Leadership Academy for Girls	Secondary	Muslim	2014
Waltham Forest	Walthamstow Primary Academy	Primary	Church of England – ULT	2014
Birmingham	King Solomon International Business School	All-Through	Christian	2015
Manchester	Didsbury CE Free School	Primary	Church of England	2015
Derby	Akaal Primary School	Primary	Sikh	2015
Hertfordshire	St Mary’s CE Primary School	Primary	Church of England	2015
Kingston-upon-Thames	Kingston Community School	All-Through	Christian – Chapel St	2015
Tower Hamlets	Canary Wharf College 3	All-Through	Christian	2015

Religiously designated sponsored Academies

The following religiously designated Academies have been announced as having been allocated funding through the Targeted Basic Need Programme:

Local authority	Project	Phase	Opening date	Sponsor
Barnet	Mill Hill East	Primary	September 2014	London Diocesan Board for Schools Academies Trust
Bradford	Douglas Road – BD4 8QW	Secondary	September 2015	Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust
Hillingdon	Yiewsley – UB7 9AE	Primary	September 2015	London Diocesan Board for Schools Frays Academy Trust
Plymouth	Derriford – PL6 5AA	Primary	September 2015	Diocese of Exeter
Swindon	Tadpole Farm – SN26 8DZ	Primary	September 2014	Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust (DBAT)

In addition, St Joseph’s Catholic College, a secondary school in Swindon, has acquired funding for 420 new school places by 2014 through the Targeted Basic Need Programme. In fact it is planned that this funding is used to provide a new primary school at another site in the town.

Bristol Church Academies Trust (BCAT), the Church of England Diocese of Bristol’s Academies chain, is to sponsor a new primary school at Tadpole Farm, Swindon, due to open in September 2014, after the local authority invited proposals .

Finally, Wellington College (a Church of England private school) is to sponsor a new primary school opening in Tidworth, Wiltshire, due to open in September 2014, after the local authority invited proposals.

Religiously designated Voluntary Aided schools

We are not currently aware of any proposals to establish new Voluntary Aided schools.

Invitations for new school proposals

The following local authorities are currently seeking applications for Free Schools at the locations listed, any of which could result in the opening of a religiously selective school.

The following have recently closed to applications, with the sponsor yet to be announced:

LA	Location	Phase of Education	Capacity	Closing date of specification	Link to specification
Cambridgeshire	Bearscroft Farm	Primary	330	16 June	Link
Cumbria	Workington	Secondary	1200	28 February	Link
East Devon	Cranbrook	Secondary	1,100	16 May	Link
East Devon	Cranbrook	Primary	420	16 May	Link
Essex	Chelmsford	Primary	210	17 July	Link
Gloucestershire	Hardwicke	Primary	315	25 July	Link
Kent	Tunbridge Wells	Primary	210	11 March	Link
Lincolnshire	North Hykeham	Primary	210	5 June	Link
North Yorkshire	Staynor Hall, Selby	Primary	210	13 June	Link
Oxfordshire	Barton	Primary	315	31 March	Link
Sandwell	Oldbury	Secondary	1200	8 January	Link
South Gloucestershire	Emersons Green East	Primary	420	27 June	Link
Telford and Wrekin	Lawley	Primary	210	27 June	Link

The following are currently open to applications:

LA	Location	Phase of Education	Capacity	Closing date of specification	Link to specification
Essex	Roseacres, Takeley	Primary	210	5 September	Link
Kent	Cheeseman’s Green	Primary	420	27 August	Link

Local authorities have also been allocated funding to provide new schools in the following locations, through the Targeted Basic Need Programme:

Local Authority	Location/Postcode	Places
Brent	[Fulton Road]	60
Croydon	[CR0 2AN]	420
Croydon	[CR0 4HA]	420
Croydon	[CR2 6HS]	420
Croydon	[CR7 6AW]	420
Croydon	[SE25 4QL and SE25 4XE]	1150
Thurrock	[RM17]	682