Yorkshire to get four new free schools in 'disadvantaged areas'

Ministers said that the 15 schools will be based in some of the UK’s most disadvantaged areas and will see around 12,000 young people benefit.

Free schools, which are Government funded, are run by groups such as parents, teachers, faith groups, charities and universities but largely independent of local authority control.

This will see a school for 16-19 year olds in both Leeds and Bradford as well as a new technical college in Doncaster.

Bradford will also be home to a new Brit School for the North, following the success of the school in Croydon which has launched the careers of musicians such as Adele and Amy Winehouse.

In an interview with The Yorkshire Post, Ms Keegan said that Sheffield, Leeds and the surrounding towns have always been “a huge part of our musical culture, or theatre culture, our creative industries”.

“The talent is really across our country, and what we wanted to make sure is we gave the same opportunity to the kids in the North,” she added.

“As someone who grew up in the North, it’s very important to me personally.”

As part of the announcement one of the country’s most exclusive private schools in the South has been given the green light to open up free selective sixth form colleges in disadvantaged areas.

This will see Eton College set up three colleges in Middlesbrough, Oldham and Dudley.

Each Eton Star sixth form college will admit 240 students a year, which means each college will have 480 students across Year 12 and Year 13 when full.

A spokesperson said the aim is that most of the students will have the ability to aspire to top universities and “this will be reflected in the GCSE results they will need for admission”.

But the focus will be to admit large numbers of students eligible for Free School Meals, those from disadvantaged postcodes, looked after children, and those who would be the first in their families to attend university.

The colleges will be co-educational, unlike Eton, and the students will not wear the traditional Eton uniform of a black tailcoat, the spokesperson said.

However, Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA), said they were “concerned” about the extent to which decisions by the Government, about which sixth form free school bids to approve, are based on detailed evidence demonstrating local need for additional places.

Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said: “It is essential that any selective sixth form takes into account the extra challenges faced by all under resourced pupils when selecting students – not just those on free school meals – otherwise it runs the risk of merely perpetuating educational inequalities.”

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “We want to make more good school places available to families, and these 15 new free schools will bring brand new opportunities to young people from Bradford to Bristol.

“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.

“These new schools build on this Government’s work to drive up school standards since 2010, with 88 per cent of schools now rated good or outstanding – up from 68 per cent - and high performing academies and free schools in all parts of the country.”