Bellevue Place Education Trust

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Bellevue Place Education Trust
Company typeEducation Trust
IndustryFree Schools
Founded2012
Number of locations
Seven preparatory Free Schools across London and the South-East
Key people
Mark Greatrex (CEO), Simon Ward (Operations Director)
WebsiteOfficial website

Bellevue Place Education Trust (BPET) is a British organisation formed in 2012 to operate primary Free Schools in London and South East. It is jointly operated by Bellevue Education and Place Group.[1][2] The Free Schools are financed on a non-profit basis via a master funding agreement with the Department for Education.[3][4]

History[edit]

In 2012, Bellevue Place Education Trust was formed as a partnership between Bellevue Education and Place Group.[1][2] It is a "private company limited by guarantee"

The following year the trust opened its first state-funded free school, Rutherford House in Balham.[5] It was reported to be partnering with philosopher AC Grayling on another free school project,[6] but that bid was unsuccessful.[7]

The trust opened two more free schools in 2014: Braywick Court School in Maidenhead and Whitehall Park School in Islington.[8]

Later in 2014 the Bellevue Place Education Trust obtained Government "pre-approval" to open four more free schools in London in 2015: Richmond Bridge Primary,[9] Kilburn Grange,[10] Halley House,[11] and Watling Park.[12] However, the trust was unable to secure a site in the Richmond Bridge area, so the proposed Richmond Bridge Primary School was renamed to Deer Park School.[13]

Controversies regarding sites[edit]

The establishment of Whitehall Park on the former site of Ashmount School was controversial, being opposed by the local council and some local residents,[14][15][16][17] and criticised over the cost of refurbishing the school building.[18]

The proposed location of Deer Park School led to opposition from some local residents who question the suitability of the chosen site.[19]

The site chosen for Braywick Court School was also controversial with some of its local residents.[20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "About Bellevue Place Education Trust". Data Log. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Support for Free Schools". Place Group. Archived from the original on 2 September 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  3. ^ "BELLEVUE PLACE EDUCATION TRUST FREE SCHOOLS: Master Funding Agreement". Department for Education: School Performance Tables. Department for Education. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  4. ^ "Bellevue Place Education Trust: Director's Report and Financial Statements for the year ending 31st August 2013". School Performance Tables. Department for Education. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  5. ^ "About Us". Rutherford House School. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  6. ^ "AC Grayling seeks to open free school in north London". 19 January 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  7. ^ Osley, Richard (15 August 2013). "AC GRAYLING ADMITS FREE SCHOOL BID IN CAMDEN IS OVER". Camden New Journal. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Braywick Court School opens with first 28 pupils". Maidenhead Advertiser. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  9. ^ "Two free primary schools In Richmond get Department for Education approval". Richmond and Twickenham Times. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  10. ^ Proctor, Ian (19 June 2014). "The 420-place Kilburn Free Primary School approved by education secretary Michael Gove". Get West London. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  11. ^ Winny, Annalies (4 July 2014). "Critics slam cash for free schools as education budget faces the axe". Hackney Citizen. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  12. ^ Caven, James. "Watling Park School in Burnt Oak moves closer to opening". Barnet and Potters Bar Times. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  13. ^ "Richmond Bridge School update". Richmond Bridge Primary. Bellevue Place Education trust. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  14. ^ Arnold, Steve (18 October 2013). "islington Free School a solution in search of a problem". Local Schools Network. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  15. ^ Roberts, Alison (24 February 2014). "The middle-class parent's dream school and a battle for an asbestos-riddled site". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  16. ^ Daventry, Michael (29 October 2013). "Free school protest: 'We don't want schools run to just make a profit'". Haringey Independent. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  17. ^ "New housing proposal for former Ashmount School site". Islington Council. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  18. ^ "Bill for Archway 'free' school set to top £10m". Islington Tribune. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  19. ^ "Deer Park School site a "rotten idea", meeting hears".
  20. ^ "Home". savebraywickpark.org.

External links[edit]