A NEW free school is to open in the north of Nottingham in September next year.
The Nottingham Free School will cater for 600 students aged between 11 and 16 by 2018.
It will be run by the Torch Academy Gateway Trust, which is also behind Toot Hill School in Bingham.
It was of 102 free schools which will open in 16 months' time, as announced by the Department for Education.
But the trust's joy was tempered as a second planned free school in West Bridgford - due to be called Trent Bridge Free School - was turned down.
However its chief executive John Tomasevic is not deterred and has vowed to try again to get the plans passed.
The Nottingham Free School had been originally planned for Arnold. However a number of locations are now being considered, including Sherwood and Mapperley.
The trust feels there is a shortage of places for secondary school aged children in these areas.
Mr Tomasevic said: "This announcement is great news for the children and parents of Nottingham and the communities around the Sherwood, Carrington, Mapperley Park, Woodthorpe and Mapperley areas.
"This new secondary free school represents a new era in the power of parental choice for the people of Nottingham.
"We would like to thank the local community and all the parents who supported the free school bid."
The Nottingham Free School is provisionally scheduled for a September 2014 opening for Year 7 pupils. Initially it plans to accommodate 90 to 120 pupils in each year group, meaning there could be up to 600 in four years.
A number of locations will now be looked at. These haven't been revealed.
Speaking about the free school plans in West Bridgford, Mr Tomasevic added: "We are confident that over time we will be able to establish a free school in the Trent Bridge area given the strength of support expressed by parents at the public meetings.
Both sets of plans met with criticism, not least from existing schools, which were looking to expand to cope with increasing numbers of stu- dents.
Rob McDonough, head teacher at West Bridgford School, was one of them.
Yesterday, he said: "I personally believe this was the right decision as their premise behind the need for an additional school in West Bridgford was flawed.
"The level of interest we attract is an expression of confidence in the existing schools in the area which are proven. Opting for a new school is a gamble and the parents of West Bridgford have told us that it is not one they are prepared to take.
"The creation of new schools can clearly bring profound benefits for parents through greater choice. But new schools can best serve parents by locating themselves in areas where additional school places are needed. No fair minded person would say that these conditions apply in West Bridgford."
