Trust’s bid for schools in Teddington rejected
The Stamp Education Trust’s bid for two primary primary schools in Teddington and Surbiton were rejected among an accepted bid for Twickenham.
Councillor Paul Hodgins, Richmond’s cabinet member for for schools said he was disappointed that the trust had not succeeded in their bids.
He did however praise the news of a new school in Twickenham called The Maaz.
The Maaz will be a 72-place special school for children aged four to 19, and will be for children with an education, health and care plan or statement of special educational needs as a result of speech, language and communication or social, emotional and mental health issues – including autism.
He said: “This new school is desperately needed and will provide much-needed places for local children and young people with special needs to meet forecast need.
“We have worked very closely with the Auriga Academy Trust to develop their proposals.
“Only one in four applications across Richmond and Kingston got through and only 16 in the whole of London.
“This will be our third special school in the borough and I’m particularly pleased that more children with special educational needs will be able to be educated within their community rather than having to travel to schools well outside the borough.
“I am though, disappointed that the applications from the Stamp Education Trust were not approved. We are already anticipating that in the next round they will be resubmitted, together with a new application for a secondary school in Mortlake.”
