Eton given green light to open selective sixth forms in education ‘cold spots’

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Eton College, a boarding school near Windsor in Berkshire, and academy trust Star Academies will set up three state sixth forms in Dudley, Middlesbrough and Oldham after the Department for Education approved the plans. With a growing demand for sixth form places in these areas, we aim to enable more young people to benefit from a high-quality academic education and to broaden the opportunities available to them both during and after their sixth form studies Sir Hamid Patel, chief executive of Star Academies The DfE has approved 15 new free schools – which includes the three Eton Star sixth forms – in parts of the country where education outcomes are weakest, and it said about 12,000 young people will benefit. “Free schools bring high standards, more choice for parents and strong links to industry – and all in the areas where those opportunities are needed most.” Simon Henderson, headmaster of Eton College, said: “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. “With a growing demand for sixth form places in these areas, we aim to enable more young people to benefit from a high-quality academic education and to broaden the opportunities available to them both during and after their sixth form studies.” Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said they were “concerned” about the extent to which decisions by Government, about which sixth form free school bids to approve, are based on detailed evidence demonstrating local need for additional places.