New secondary school opens in Portslade tomorrow

A new secondary school is due to open in Portslade tomorrow (Wednesday 4 September).

The King’s School is a Christian secondary school which had hoped to be based in Hove.

It is being opened under the government’s free schools programme and will occupy temporary premises in High Street, Portslade.

The site is the Portslade Aldridge Community Academy (PACA) sixth form site, although the sixth formers are due to move to Chalky Road in Mile Oak during the current academic year.

The head Steve Flavin said in a newsletter to parents: “All of the teachers have been appointed and are working to create imaginative lessons for your child.”

Steve Flavin

He said that four teacher training days had been held to prepare staff at the new school, adding: “As a result of our work together, students will be placed in the correct ability set for most of their subjects.

“This will ensure that every child makes academic progress from day one.”

The school said that it aimed to be outstanding – the highest grade awarded by the government’s official Ofsted school inspectors.

The school’s founders had wanted to put the school on the King Alfred Leisure Centre site in Hove but Brighton and Hove City Council is still deciding what should be built there. It hopes to replace the current leisure centre and build flats to fund the project.

The council and the government discussed using the BHASVIC playing field as a site. But opposition from existing schools, including Cardinal Newman Catholic School, and people living in the area prompted a rethink.

The King’s School and its sponsor, the Russell Education Trust, are still looking for a permanent site for the school.