East Cheshire Youth Achievement Free School will cater for up to 40 pupils excluded from mainstream schools in Macclesfield, Wilmslow and Congleton.s
Backed by the Youth Federation of Cheshire, a mixture of teachers and mentors will provide a ‘hybrid’ education, combining basic maths, English and science.
It is set to open in September 2015.
One potential location for the school is the Fermain Centre on Oxford Road.
Free schools are new, state-funded schools, independent of local authority control but subject to inspections by education watchdog Ofsted.
The school was one of 38 nationally given the go- ahead by the PM this week. Mr Cameron said: “I’m delighted that Youth Achievement Free School will be opening in Macclesfield.
“The plans this school has to drive up standards are truly commendable.”
Jim Bisset, chairman of Youth Federation of Cheshire, said: “This is a very exciting project and the culmination of five years’ work with Macclesfield Youth Achievement Foundation to provide young people who don’t fit into mainstream education an alternative and a real chance.
“Our outcomes have been very good, giving people cast aside by society some real purpose to their lives.
“Young people struggle to cope in mainstream school for a range of social reasons. What we see happening is young people are excluded and end up being sent to a pupil referral centre in Crewe and too often fall into the youth offending cycle.”
Mr Bisset said the project had the total support of headteachers across the town. He said: “This school is for East Cheshire – Macclesfield, Wilmslow and Congleton – to give them an opportunity to stay in the area and get a tailor-made curriculum to improve their employability.”
