New LIPA secondary school finally wins government approval after ‘appalling limbo’.
LIPA founder Paul McCartney said, ‘It’s great news to hear LIPA High School is finally launching in September. The team behind it are fantastic’
A delay over Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) opening a new secondary school has been overcome after the Department of Education finally gave it approval.
The institute spoke publicly of their frustrations in March over the wait for their proposals to be rubberstamped, describing how children were being left in an “appalling limbo.”
The well-known establishment wants to start teaching children from the ages of 11-16, adding to its higher education college, a primary school and a sixth form.
LIPA is set to send Year 7 and 8 pupils into a temporary home in their primary school, with future plans to build a new secondary school in years to come.
But in recent days, the Department of Education approved the plan, bringing an end to months of uncertainty, and meaning the school can open in September.
LIPA primary pupils will transition from the lower school over the next five years until it is fully populated from years 7 to 11.
Recruitment is currently underway to staff the school and most of the facilities required are in place.
Ruth Murphy, a parent and a governor of LIPA Primary said: “The year 6 pupils and parents at LIPA Primary are delighted and relieved to know that now they have the opportunity to continue their education at a school that has the same ethos and values as LIPA Primary.
“Some LIPA Primary pupils have decided to continue onto alternative choices secured in recent months.
“This means LIPA High School will also welcome a number of excited pupils from other primary schools who were on the waiting list to join.
“We are all so pleased to hear this decision – pupils who intend to continue on to LIPA High School or join from another primary are simply thrilled.’
Mark Featherstone-Witty, LIPA’s founding principal, said: “This is a day when a dream I had 28 years ago has come true: a symbiotic learning journey from 4 to 16 and even beyond.
“Just this bit of the dream has taken much longer than I ever thought it would; we made a few attempts to get this agreed and now we are finally there, seconds before the clock strikes twelve.
“The reward will be the effect that we have on children and their future lives.
LIPA said the high school was already heavily over-subscribed for September 2021 for the 52 places available.
Pupils are welcomed to apply for year 7 September 2022 via the usual admissions process, led by Liverpool City Council.
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