Parents given free-school outline

A HANDFUL of parents and prospective students turned out to hear more about Oldham’s military-style free school last night.

Around 20 people visited the Phoenix Free School event in Clarksfield. Due to open in September next year with space for 120 pupils, the free school will be outside local authority control.

Parents and children heard from Tom Burkard, a visiting professor at Derby University’s school of education, who outlined plans and dispelled misconceptions regarding the “military-style” concept of the school.

Mr Burkard, who is designing the school’s humanities curriculum, said: “we want people to know that we have no intention of marching our pupils around a parade square. We will be instilling the moral values of the military into the pupils - honesty, loyalty and perseverance - to help them learn and succeed.”

The school will be staffed by ex-military personnel, with instructors in each school “house” responsible for non-academic subjects such as physical education, and personal development.

Mr Burkard, a former corporal in the Royal Pioneer Corps, added: “We believe we can get 75 per cent of our pupils up to Ebacc standard — the minimum to go to university - by the time they leave us, something few other schools can say.”

Mr Burkard said Phoenix is close to securing a site in the Springhead and Lees vicinity. “Once we can say exactly where the school will be, we hope it will encourage more parents to consider our school,” he said.