Press release for immediate release

July 13 2012

The East London Science School is on track to open in September 2013 after being given the green light today by the Department for Education.

The new school, which is the brainchild of Tower Hamlets resident David Perks, a Physics Teacher with more than 25 years experience in the state sector, aims to deliver a high quality academic education to all pupils 11-18 regardless of ability.

The school will offer a broad curriculum including English, Classics, Modern languages, Sport, and Music with a special focus on the provision of the Sciences and Mathematics. Unusually for a school in the state sector, all of its pupils will be offered the opportunity to study all three sciences until the age of 16 regardless of their ability. The school also aims to offer the best IT education in London, with an emphasis on the provision of a high quality technical education alongside the academic curriculum. The main focus will be on Computer Science, enabling all pupils to acquire practical, transferrable skills.

The school is committed to offering a wide programme of cultural and educational visits across the capital and beyond as well as a visiting speaker programme which will see eminent professionals in their chosen fields visit the East London Science School to inspire the pupils.

The East London Science School is led by David Perks in partnership with a dedicated group of teachers and other professionals who support the project. Perks said today: “This is an incredibly exciting day for the East London Science School. We have a massive opportunity to put the East End of London on the map educationally. We plan to offer an exciting curriculum for all our pupils, which will make the most of all that London has to offer.”

Mark Smith, a Tower Hamlets resident, parent, supporter and director of the East London Science School said:

“This is a fantastic day for the renaissance of the East End. This school will help to bridge the gap between the haves and the have nots and help all children to achieve their maximum potential. I also hope, with its science specialism it will spawn a new generation of inventors and scientists and put London and the UK back on the map for science education.”

The school is due to open in September 2013 with an intake of 120 pupils in the first year, rising to more than 1,000 pupils when full, including a sixth form.

The final location of the school is still to be finalised with a number of sites in Tower Hamlets and Newham under discussion. Updates about the progress of the school will be posted online at www.eastlondonscienceschool.co.uk and via the school Twitter feed @ELSS_freeschool and Facebook page www.facebook.com/EastLondonScienceSchool.

The school will also be organising meetings in the community this autumn where prospective parents and pupils can come and meet the team and find out more. Parents whose children are due to start secondary school in September 2013 can register their interest in the school or email the school.

If you are part of a community group or a primary school who would like to find out more, we look forward to hearing from you and please contact us via the email address above.

The project forms part of the government’s Free Schools initiative which has enabled groups of teachers, parents and others to set up new state funded schools in response to local demand.

For media enquiries please contact:

Jenny Davey +44 (0)7901 513610