THERE is huge pressure on secondary school places in West Bridgford and Arnold, according to the most recent application figures.
Schools there, on average, have more than two applications for each Year 7 place they have.
That is an issue a group behind plans for two new free schools hope to solve.
Today, proposals for a new Trent Bridge Free School in West Bridgford and a Nottingham Free School in Arnold have been revealed.
They are the brainchild of the Torch Academy Gateway Trust, which runs Toot Hill School in Bingham.
John Tomasevic, chief executive of the trust and Toot Hill principal, says there is a huge need for extra places in both areas.
During the most recent round of applications earlier this year, West Bridgford School had 549 applications for its 210 places.
Meanwhile Rushcliffe School in West Bridgford had 522 for 236 places and Arnold Hill Academy 545 for 260.
Mr Tomasevic said: "There is a real demand for extra school places in these areas. We believe these two schools would contribute to helping that."
Free schools are the latest type of school set up by the Government as part of an overhaul of the education system.
Mr Tomasevic said some buildings had been identified for the two new schools – near Trent Bridge and in Arnold town centre – though it was too early to reveal exactly where they are.
The group said they were unsure how much transforming the buildings would cost, but admitted it could range from thousands of pounds to millions.
The trust is launching a consultation into the plans and has planned a series of public meetings in the coming weeks, where parents of children currently in Years 4 and 5 at primary schools are invited.
The meetings over the Arnold school will be held on:
Tuesday, October 30, between 5pm and 7pm at Arnold Leisure Centre.
Friday, November 2, between 5pm and 7pm, at The Place Activity Centre, Melrose Street, Sherwood.
Wednesday, November 7 between 5pm and 7pm at the Atrium, Hucknall Road, Carrington.
The West Bridgford School meetings will be at:
Monday, October 29 between 5pm and 7pm at the Long Room, Trent Bridge cricket ground.
Wednesday, October 31 between 6pm and 8pm in Rushcliffe Arena.
Tuesday, November 6 between 5pm and 7pm at Trent Bridge cricket ground.
If the consultation shows approval, the group will apply to the Department for Education to open the schools from September 2014.
Each would initially just take in 120 to study in Year 7. They would take in a further 120 each year after, meaning by September 2018, they will both have 600 pupils. They could also create sixth forms.
Trent Bridge would specialise in maths and sport, while Nottingham would be a science and creative arts specialist.
Jodie Legge, 41, a parent from Woodthorpe, said: "As a parent of a Year 3 pupil I'm very interested to hear about the proposals for a new school in Arnold."
But teaching unions are against the setting up of free schools. Ivan Wels, joint division secretary for the National Union of Teachers in Notts, said: "We are less than thrilled about these proposals.
"Free schools can open up anywhere, even in a garage. Some have already collapsed. They are taking us away from mainstream education, where we should be."
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