A proposed third secondary school for St Neots is officially off the table, a letter obtained by a Freedom of Information request has confirmed.
The proposals for the new free school have been on and off since around 2017 when it was first approved by the Department for Education (DfE).
Difficulties with finding an appropriate site for the school stalled the project but it was fired back up again when projections showed a future need for more secondary places because of new housing developments.
But now a correspondence between the DfE and Advantage Schools, the trust leading the St Neots proposals, reveals the scheme has now been relocated and the new school will be built in Bedford instead.
Officials say this is because more secondary provision is needed there, and forecasts show there will be less demand for secondary school places in St Neots.
The letter - obtained through a Freedom of Information request and dated March 21, 2024 - is from Jonathan Duff, the DfE regional director for the East of England to Stuart Lock, the CEO of Advantage Schools.
In it, Mr Duff says: “I am pleased to confirm that ministers have agreed to relocate the proposed St Neots Academy free school project from Cambridgeshire to Bedford local authority where there is a significant need for secondary places.
“This is an excellent example of how the free schools programme can adapt and respond to local demands and needs.”
Similarly to what was offered to St Neots in 2017, for the Bedford school to go ahead a suitable site needs to be identified.
The school also needs to be ready to deliver an education standard that Ofsted would consider as “Good”.
Both Longsands Academy (pictured) and Ernulf Academy in St Neots are run by the Astrea Academy Trust. (Image: Google Street View) Commenting on the decision, Mr Lock of Advantage Schools said: “We tried very hard over several years to open a new secondary school in St Neots. St Neots Academy was initially due to open in September 2018.
“We were unable to open the school because officials could not find a suitable site, and there were places available in other secondary schools in St Neots.
“I’m very sorry we were not able to open this school.”
He added: “More recently there has been the need for a school in Bedford Borough.
“As an organisation that already runs schools in Bedford, we were able to work with officials and Bedford Borough Council to agree to open a secondary school in Bedford Borough.
“This school is due to open in 2027, and a part of enabling it to do so has been the flexibility of the free school programme.”
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Cambridgeshire County Council confirmed the DfE had “decided against the creation of a new secondary school in St Neots” back in March.
A spokesperson said: "The DfE originally approved plans for St Neots Free School over seven years ago in 2017.
“At the time our education forecasts suggested more secondary school places would be needed locally due to planned housing development.
"Our forecasts in the past few years have shown a reduction in the anticipated demand in and around St Neots.
“We now anticipate having enough school places for those who need them and it’s on this basis the DfE has made their decision.”
Independent Cllr Stephen Ferguson said news the proposed third secondary school for St Neots had been called off was disappointing. (Image: Cllr Stephen Ferguson) Independent councillor Stephen Ferguson described this latest news as “disappointing” for people who live in St Neots.
He said: “We were really enthusiastic about bringing this school here.
“But if pupil projections show it is not needed then there’s no way the Department for Education will build it here – and there’s no way around it.
The DfE declined to comment.
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