Church welcome for new Telford Christian academy
A new Christian secondary school for Shropshire has been warmly welcomed by church leaders.
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It will incorporate the Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic College, which is currently based in Wellington, but will have a more broad Christian ethos.
Colin Hopkins, the director of education of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield, said: "The Holy Trinity Academy represents a significant ecumenical partnership between the Church of England and Roman Catholic Church, and we are working very closely together on the plans for the new school.
"Our vision is for the new academy to be a distinctively Christian and inclusive school, which welcomes young people from all backgrounds, faiths and no faith, and which makes a positive contribution to community cohesion in Telford and Wrekin.
"The Diocese of Lichfield welcomes the opportunity to develop a church secondary school in an area of the diocese where there is currently no secondary Anglican provision.
"We aim, with our Catholic colleagues, to secure excellent outcomes for our students, and to give them an outstanding experience in a school firmly rooted in Christian values and our churches' tradition of service to the community."
In a joint statement Margaret Ryan, the headteacher of Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic College, and Maggie Langdale, the college's chair of governors, said: "This is great news for all current and future students of both Blessed Robert Johnson and the Holy Trinity Academy.
"We will be offering a first-class education in stunning purpose-built accommodation.
"Our proximity to the University of Wolverhampton and to local industry will give us increased opportunities for collaborative work in support of our students."
The school has prompted complaints from residents who fear it will cause traffic problems near the site in Teece Drive.
It is being built on the former Celestica factory site and there will be only one road for traffic going in and out of the site.
Residents have called for an exit road onto Castle Farm Way but planners have rejected the idea on road safety grounds.
The school will almost complete Telford & Wrekin Council's Building Schools for the Future programme.
Once Holy Trinity is opened, the current BRJ building will be demolished and replaced with a new home for the Charlton School.
The £200 million programme has already seen new buildings for Abraham Darby Academy and Woodlands Primary School in Madeley and Phoenix Academy in Dawley.
