Top public school to open new sixth form college in Oldham
Date published: 22 August 2023
Oldham Council Leader, Councillor Arooj Shah
Eton College - which boasts 20 UK Prime Ministers as past pupils - has welcomed the Department for Education's decision to approve their plans to open a new free sixth form college in Oldham.
Working in partnership with Star Academies and Oldham Council, the new sixth form college will recruit dynamic young people from disadvantaged communities and provide them with a rigorous and rounded education to support their pursuit of places at the best universities.
Students will benefit from an education based on Eton’s outstanding academic record and shaped by Star Academies, widely-recognised as one of the highest-performing state school trusts in the country.
Cllr Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, welcomed the news and the partnership with Eton College and Star Academies.
“I’m thrilled the Department for Education has backed these proposals for a new Eton College and Star Academies sixth form college here in the heart of Oldham," she said.
"Opportunities, enjoyed for centuries by the country’s most privileged families, will now be offered to bright, young students from Oldham, Chadderton, Failsworth, Royton, Shaw, Crompton and Saddleworth.
“Eton College and Star Academies both have an outstanding reputation of providing the very best education, exactly what Oldham’s young people deserve.
"That’s why I’m delighted we have been creative, forged seemingly unlikely partnerships, prioritized our young people’s futures, and taken a huge step forward in making this fantastic idea a reality.
“The new sixth form adds to the academic choice local students already enjoy and will open new opportunities to an unrivalled educational experience.
"It will provide students from a diverse range of communities and backgrounds with a world-class education; access to some of Eton’s best teachers, its clubs and societies and its numerous speaker events, as well as the chance to connect with and meet other students taking part in summer residential courses at Eton College itself.
“Perhaps a future Prime Minister will come through the ranks of the new Eton Star Oldham."
Eton headmaster Simon Henderson said: “We are delighted by this decision.
"We believe the new college has the potential to be transformative both for the young people who attend but also for the wider communities it will serve.
"Now the hard work really starts as we turn our vision into reality.
“Collaborative partnership will be key to this project’s success, and we are very grateful for the support we have already received from Oldham Council, from local communities and from our colleagues in other educational settings.”
Star Academies Chief Executive, Sir Hamid Patel CBE, said: “This marks an exciting milestone in our partnership.
"We are confident the sixth form college will produce extraordinary, transformative outcomes, not only for students but for the wider communities too.
“With a growing demand for sixth form places, we aim to enable more young people to benefit from a high-quality academic education and to broaden the opportunities available to them both during and after their sixth form studies.”
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