A long-awaited high school for Radcliffe will not be built in time for its scheduled opening in 2024. The Department for Education (DfE) has approved education provider Star Academy to establish the new school on Spring Lane, with a target of welcoming students from the town from September next year.
But Bury council has revealed that the DfE has experienced ‘significant challenges’ in delivering its school building programme, with a number of free schools now delayed. The DfE has confirmed that because of inflationary pressures, it was unable to accept the tender which would have built the school by the summer of 2024 and intends to re-procure the scheme.
This would delay completion of the project beyond the 2024 opening date. There is currently no high school in the town and the project is seen as a key element in the regeneration of Radcliffe.
