On 13 September Maiden Erlegh School submitted a bid to open a free school in East Reading to provide a new secondary school for 11 to 16 year olds. The school would have the same vision and ethos as Maiden Erlegh School.
Rob Wilson MP said: “I approached Maiden Erlegh School to open a new free school because parents told me they wanted the choice of a Maiden Erlegh education. With a rapidly improving Bulmershe School (plus its new £6m investment) and a new University Technical College there are very strong options developing for local parents in east Reading.
Maiden Erlegh is an exciting bid and we have quickly galvanised local support. Parents at local primary schools I visited last week were keen to sign up their support. I am very grateful for the way they have responded.
I am particularly grateful to the Conservative team that manned the school gates with me to collect all signatures required to turn this bid into a reality. They all worked extremely hard, often in pouring rain, because they believe in improving educational opportunities in the area. I think we collected well over 300 signatures of support!
I will continue to help raise parents’ awareness of the bid over the coming weeks to maximise the likelihood of the school becoming a reality. I will also do all I can with the DfE to demonstrate what an important impact it will have on increasing educational opportunities and choice in the area."
Peter Thomas, Maiden Erlegh School's Headteacher, said of Rob: "You and your team did a fantastic job. To get all those signatures in just a few days is a remarkable achievement."
Parents wishing to support the bid who have not done so already can register their interest: www.maidenerleghschool.co.uk/newschool