Oasis Trust Opens New Education Academy Partnership

Rev Steve Chalke, founder of Oasis Trust has commented on its new partnership to build an education academy to provide new opportunities and benefits for pupils in Salford, Manchester.

Salford's Hope High School has been given the green light to bid for Academy status, sponsored by the Oasis Trust. The Department for Education and Skills has given the go-ahead to a detailed study that will assess the new school's feasibility.

The proposed new academy would cater for students aged 11 to 19, and be located in a brand new building close to Salford Quays.

Proposals would see the high school specialise in media and ICT, to make the most of the city's expanding opportunities for young people in these fields. The academy will adopt a totally inclusive admissions policy, accepting pupils regardless of their faith or academic ability.

If approved, the academy would be a partnership between the Oasis Trust, Salford City Council and the DfES, designed to help continue the improvements in the standard of education in the local area, and to provide a wider choice for parents.

Residents, staff, parents and members of the wider community will be invited to consultation meetings in the next few months, to hear details of the scheme and share their opinions on the proposals.

The Oasis Trust is already sponsoring an Academy in Enfield, North London, due to open in September 2007, as well as three others in Grimsby, Immingham (North Lincs) and Bristol. The charity, which was established by Steve Chalke MBE in 1985, delivers education, healthcare and housing initiatives in the UK and abroad.

Steve Chalke said the proposed Oasis Academy would provide superb new opportunities: "Our goal is to explore ways in which the proposed Academy could become an example of excellence and innovation in education, helping to raise aspirations and provide new opportunities and choices not only for its students but for the entire community. We are looking forward to working with Salford City Council on this exciting project."

Cllr John Warmisham. Salford City Council's lead member for children's services, said, "I am really please that we can move forward with this. If Hope were to achieve Academy status, with the investment it would bring, it would significantly benefit future pupils of Hope. I urge parents to get involved in the consultation exercise to find out what this will mean for the Hope High School in the years to come. We are looking forward to working with the school and with Oasis Trust on this."