A new school could open in Wisbech by 2020 after an application has been submitted by education bosses.

The new school, set to specialise in science and maths, will be part of The Brooke Weston Trust and run alongside their existing academies operating across Fenland.

The trust announced yesterday (November 13) that they have submitted an application to the department for education.

“Education in Fenland is a top priority for the trust and a new school in Wisbech is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to achieve a first-class education solution for the area,” Dr Andrew Campbell, CEO of the Brooke Weston Trust, said.

The next stage in the application process is for the project team to be invited to attend an interview with the department for education.

If they are successful, the free school is likely to open in 2020.

Dr Campbell continued: “We propose that the new school has a specialism in science and mathematics and it would embody our trust values of providing an excellent education for every child, regardless of their starting point.

“It would also complement the education offer we already have in Thomas Clarkson Academy and Peckover Primary Schools, which are both going from strength to strength with very clear plans and aspirations for the future.

“I would like to thank the community for their involvement in our consultation process which has allowed us to pinpoint what local stakeholders expect and deserve from a 21st century school.

“We have a proven track record in delivering multi-million pound and outstanding schools so we are very excited about this proposal and its potential.”

Sigrun Olafsdottir, chief operating officer of New Schools Network, praised the hardwork already undertaken by the Brooke Weston Trust.

She said: “The application process to set up a free school is extremely rigorous and time consuming, so it is a testament to Brooke Weston Trust’s hardwork that they have reached this stage.

“This is particularly true in this round of free school applications, which explicitly targets areas of greatest need.

“There are more than 700 free schools open or approved to open, creating more than 400,000 new school places when full.

“They are the top performing type of state school at key stages 1, 4 and 5. They are also more likely to be rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.”

Interested parents can find out more at www.brookewestontrust.org/wisbech-free-school