Campaigners for free school apply for funding (From Watford Observer)

Parents campaigning for new Harperbury Free School, near Radlett, apply for funding

5:00pm Monday 7th January 2013 in News By Anna Slater

Parents who started a campaign to build a new free school have formally applied for funding.

Hundreds of people have spent the last year compiling an application for the "much needed" high school, at the old Harperbury Hospital site.

If successful, the new Harperbury Free School - on the cusp of Radlett - would provide 120 places per year for 11 to 18-year-olds.

Father-of-two Clive Glover, who launched the campaign two years ago, delivered the 150 page report to the Department of Education (DfE) in London on Friday.

Mr Glover, of Woodfield Road, Radlett, said: "The application has been over a year in the making so it is a relief we managed to get it ready to hand in.

"We put a lot of detail into it because we obviously had to make sure everything is absolutely perfect.

"We included things like class timetables, how many kids we could cater for and why it is so important in the area.

"There has been a lot of support for this - everyone would be devastated if it was rejected.

"We have identified the Harperbury site as the perfect location because it is the right size and currently derelict."

Campaigners are now on tenterhooks until March when they will find out if they have passed round one of the application process.

Members of the group will then be expected to attend an intense interview with a DfE representative detailing information about the school.

They will find out if their application has been successful by May 2013, and it is hoped the new school could be built in time for the September 2015 intake.

Admissions to the school will be based on how close a student lives to the site, so students from Radlett, Shenley, Borehamwood, London Colney and St Albans can apply.

The retired civil servant first realised there was a need for a new high school when he was looking for high school places for his son, who is now 15.

He found there was a lack of schools for everyone so was faced with having to choose between a religious, single sex or fee-paying school.

Mr Glover added: "This would end up being a real local school which is exactly what we need in this area.

"Many kids from the area have to travel around 20 miles each way to get to school - but I anticipate this free school could help 40 per cent cycle or even walk to school."