A NEW special school for the north of the county and an academy for both primary and secondary pupils in Grove have been given the go-ahead by the Government.

North Iffley Academy and Grove CE Academy were approved today in the latest wave of free school applications.

North Iffley Academy will be an offshoot of The Iffley Academy in Oxford and will cater for children with special educational needs (SEN).

The Iffley Academy headteacher Kay Willett said: "At present, many pupils who attend The Iffley Academy have to travel from Banbury and Bicester to attend our school in central Oxford. 

"By opening a school in North Oxfordshire, we can educate these pupils in their local communities. 

"The growth of housing development and the population in Banbury and Bicester is increasing, which is putting further pressure on special school places. 

"A new school offering places for pupils with cognition and learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health difficulties, and autistic spectrum condition will complement and extend the excellent SEN already provided by the state funded special schools in the area."

The 'all-through' school for primary and secondary pupils in Grove will be run by Vale Academy Trust (VAT), which has seven schools including King Alfred's Academy in Wantage.

VAT chief executive Simon Spires said: "We are delighted with this news and look forward to working with the whole community of Grove, its families and other key stakeholder groups over the coming years.

"It is really important that the residents of Grove have an academy that will be very much at the heart of the community, with its own ethos and identity, catering for children from two to 16.  

"As part of the Vale Academy Trust, it will also benefit from belonging to a strong multi academy trust within  which headteachers and governors work together, supporting and challenging each other.

"Whilst we are aware that there is still much to do before the new academy can be built and then opens, we are very excited that there is, finally, a plan to bring a new academy to Grove".

No opening date or firm location has been set for either of the schools.