New Liverpool school has not yet received funding

Planning permission delays stopped the new school opening in time for the start of the 2024 school year

A new Liverpool secondary school that had its September opening delayed until next year has not yet received its agreed funding from the government.

Delays to planning permission prevented the opening of Kings Leadership Academy in Wavertree in time for the start of the 2024 school year.

School leaders have said they are working now towards being open in September 2025.

However, the Department for Education has said a provisional opening date has not been set, but that it is continuing to work with the parties involved.

'Surge' in demand

The school was meant to open in September 2024 on the site of computer game company Sony’s old building in Wavertree Technology Park.

However, an application to change the use from an office into a school was submitted in February 2024, too late to guarantee work would have been complete in time for the new school year.

About 100 pupils who had selected the school as their first choice were allocated places elsewhere.

The BBC understands full planning permission for any additional building work would still need to be sought.

There is intense competition for secondary school places in south Liverpool.

Two years ago, the council warned a "surge" in demand for places across the city could continue for another five years.

The new school, part of a multi-academy trust already operating across the north-west of England, was cited as one of the ways the city would address the problem.

The deadline for secondary school applications is the end of this month.

Last year, Kings Wavertree was listed on Liverpool City Council’s official application form.

This year, the school is operating its own admissions and is not listed on the council form.

Parents can apply directly to the school but must also apply for another school via the council.

In a statement, the school said: “Any offers of pupil places for King’s Leadership Academy Wavertree will be conditional and dependent on a funding agreement being entered into with the secretary of state.

"We are encouraging all parents to submit a common application form to their home local authority to apply to an existing school, through the coordinated school admission arrangements before the 31st October deadline.”

'A real problem'

Lord Mike Storey, former leader of Liverpool City Council, who speaks for the Liberal Democrats on education in the House of Lords, said it was “vital” to get the school open.

He said the was "a real problem in south Liverpool with a high number of faith schools and academies and often children get offered places miles from where they live”.

He added: “There’s been a year to get this ready. I had assumed following the problems last year everything was sorted."

He added he had asked an education minister to look into the situation.

A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council said: “We continue to support the Department for Education and the Great Schools Trust, where required, on the King’s Leadership Academy Wavertree project.

"At the moment, our priority is to ensure that all children receive a Year 7 place on National Offer Day."

They added: "Parents must have made an application to the council by 31 October and we encourage everyone to read the information on the council’s website and also make sure they understand any additional entrance information required by individual schools.

"Parents should also select five different schools to make full use of all their preferences.”