New school for girls in Liverpool to progress to next stage

Liverpool City Council has received confirmation from the Department for Education that a new girls school in Liverpool can progress to the next stage.

A proposed site for the new school was submitted by the council back in July this year and ministers have now written to Liverpool City Council to say the school can progress to the next stage.

The school is set to be built on land bordered by Mulgrave Street and Selborne Street, L8.

The move to open a new school comes in response to a lack of parental choice for those of Muslim faith.

Approval to move to the next stage of the process follows talks held between Leader of Liverpool City Council, Liam Robinson and the Minister for Schools, Georgia Gould, which successfully made the case for the school.

Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Liverpool will be an 800-place secondary school for girls aged 11-18. The school will have a Muslim faith designation and will also welcome applications from pupils of all faiths and none.

Star Academies – a mixed MAT that runs a diverse network of primary and secondary schools nationwide – will operate the Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Liverpool.

During its opening year, the school will admit an intake of 120 pupils in Year 7. The school will continue to admit a new intake of Year 7 pupils at the beginning of each academic year.

Information regarding the school’s opening date will be announced in due course.

The approved proposal submitted to the Department for Education ensures that the land surrounding the adjacent African Caribbean Centre building will remain untouched, while still providing a site for the flagship school development.

Leader of Liverpool City Council, Cllr Liam Robinson, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that the Department for Education has committed to delivering the Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy in Liverpool 8.

“This marks a real milestone in a project that is set to bring a much-needed school that will provide an excellent secondary education for Liverpool girls.

“As the project progresses, we’ll continue to engage with the community, and I would like to thank everyone who has supported the school so far.

“The council as well as many families are looking forward to welcoming Star Academies to the city, and we have an exciting time ahead.”

Cllr Joanne Kennedy, Cabinet Member for Employment, Educational Attainment and Skills, said: “We have worked hard with all stakeholders, to ensure that we identify a suitable site which is acceptable to the local community.

“It’s brilliant news that the Department for Education are supporting the proposals enabling progress to the next stage of the project – which is to gain planning permission and carry out a detailed feasibility study and delivery plan.

“Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Liverpool will provide additional choice for parents and carers. Liverpool is a proudly diverse city and having multiple faith based schools allows families to choose an education for their children that aligns with their beliefs and values, and supports our city’s rich cultural heritage.”

Princes Park ward Councillor, Lucille Harvey, said: “A new local secondary school and a thriving community centre will bring real benefits to the L8 community for many years to come.

“I look forward to working with the council, the African Caribbean Centre and Eden School as the scheme moves forward.”