Eton Star Oldham survives govt free school cuts
To help fund a £3bn investment in SEND places, the government has pulled the plug on 64% of the free school projects it had under review from October last year.
The review was looking at 44 proposed schools, evaluating them based on need, value for money, and whether or not it was a unique offer for students. Of those 44 across the country, 28 have been designated as “minded to cancel,” with final decisions to be made after local authorities and trusts have a chance to respond.
In the North West, five future schools were being reviewed by the government: Eton Star Oldham, Dixons Victoria Academy in Manchester, Star Lakeside Academy in Rochdale, Star Primary Leadership Academy in Littleborough, and Dean Trust Free School in Manchester.
Of those five, three are now set to continue: Eton Star Oldham, Dixons Victoria Academy, and Star Lakeside Academy. Dean Trust Free School and Star Primary Leadership Academy have both been selected for cancellation.
The news brings the number of North West schools in a pre-opening phase to 15. Cumulatively these schools offer 5,063 spaces for students.
Eton Star Oldham is one of the highest profile projects on the pre-opening list. The educational institution is a partnership between Eton College and Star Academies and will hold space for 480 students. It is due to be built on the site of Tommyfield Market’s outdoor stalls and its nearby car park in the town centre.
Cllr Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, described the latest update as “great news for Oldham”.
“Eton Star Oldham will give our young people access to life-changing opportunities, no matter their background or where they start in life,” she said.
“Every child in Oldham deserves the chance to aim high, achieve their potential and feel confident about their future, and this project will help make that possible.”
Shah added: “We have been clear throughout that this must be a college shaped with our young people, our parents and our communities. Now that the government has confirmed it will go ahead, we will work closely with Eton College and Star Academies to make sure this delivers for Oldham’s children and opens doors for generations to come.”
Fantastic news for the town all round! I look forward to seeing it built and the benefits it brings to future generations
By Roughyed
To fund the £3bn investment in SEND places, this so-called government has scrapped 64% of the free school projects under review since October last year. Why? Because the VAT raid on private schools has failed to deliver—raising little, if anything.
The result? Money pulled from other projects while the narrative is spun to distract from the reality.
We now have an Education Secretary who seems to continually struggle with the numbers; unaware that there are 400 fewer teachers this year than last, despite pledging to recruit 6,000 with the VAT raid. This isn’t just a slip—it’s a pattern.
On a positive note, I’m pleased the Oldham project is among the 36% that survived. But it also raises a bigger question – why this one and not others across the country?
Education deserves transparency and accountability—not short-term fixes and creative accounting.
By Steve5839