Plans for a new alternative provision school in Carlisle has been given the go-ahead by the Department for Education.
Cumbria Education Trust has been approved to open the school to cater for the needs of 11 to 16-year-olds who require an alternative curriculum and specialised support for their education.
The initiative, in collaboration with Cumberland Council, aims to serve not only schools belonging to the trust but all secondary schools in the area.
The proposed school, with an initial capacity of up to 120 students, is designed to meet the unique needs of pupils who find it challenging to thrive in mainstream educational settings.
The Cumberland Alternative Provision School will provide a robust assessment of need to enable early and targeted interventions, high-quality learning experiences and personalised timetables, to give young people confidence to make good choices, the trust said.
Trust chief executive Lorrayne Hughes said: “I am absolutely delighted that we will be working with Cumberland Council to bring the vision for a high-quality alternative provision school to reality.
“We have been working tirelessly for several years to ensure our bid was of the highest quality and we are looking forward to the next stage of this venture.”
Martin Birch, Cumberland Council’s director of children and family welfare, said: “This provision will have such a positive impact on the community, and we will share updates as the journey unfolds.
“This collaboration between the trust and the local authority will create the best opportunities for the young people who need additional support.“
The trust has three secondary and 10 primary schools across Cumbria and is responsible for the education of more than 5,000 young people.
