‘Transformative’ Eton colleges approved by government

The Department for Education has approved plans for Eton College and Star Academies to open three sixth-form colleges, as it looks to improve 12,000 young people’s education.

With the aim of recruiting students from deprived communities, the free-to-attend colleges in Dudley, Middlesbrough and Oldham will prepare the 16-18 year-olds to achieve places at top universities.

The colleges will be called Eton Star Dudley, Eton Star Oldham and Eton Star Teesside and will admit 480 students across Year 12 and Year 13 in each college.

Prestigious private school Eton will contribute £1m a year to each college on top of £2,000 a year per student.

It forms part of the Department of Education’s initiative approved today to open 15 new free schools in parts of the country where education outcomes are weakest.

12,000 young people in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the country will benefit from the wave of schools, which whilst funded by the government, are not run by the local authority. Instead, schools are run by other organisations – most commonly academy trusts – but also industry and universities.

Plans have also been approved for the BRIT School North in Bradford, which is based on the award-winning performing arts school in South London which helped to launch the careers of Adele, Amy Winehouse and Jessie J.

Eton’s headmaster Simon Henderson said: “We are delighted by this decision. We believe these new colleges have the potential to be transformative both for the young people who attend and for the wider communities they will serve. Now the hard work really starts as we turn our vision into reality.

“Collaborative partnership will be key to this project’s success and we are very grateful for the support we have had already from the respective councils, from the local communities and from our colleagues in other educational settings.”

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said: “Eton and Star epitomise the very best standards in learning and they very much share our vision of a nationally renowned education facility in the Dudley borough. We will continue to hold positive discussions with Eton and Star to pave the way for this to happen”.

Councillor Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “This new sixth form will provide a fantastic opportunity for Oldham’s young people to access a truly world class education; with access to some of Eton’s best teachers, its clubs and its speaker events, as well as the chance to take part in a summer residential at Eton itself. This will give children who would never have had these opportunities the chance to shine and not just to fulfil their potential, but to experience things they would never have thought possible”.

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