Stour Valley Community School is a coeducational free school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Clare in the English county of Suffolk. It opened in September 2011 as one of the first 24 free schools in England.The free schools set to open in 2011, BBC News, 1 September 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011.Clare: “Monumental day for whole community” – Suffolk’s first-ever free school starts new term, East Anglian Daily Press, 5 September 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011.Stour Valley Community School welcomes first pupils, Haverhill Echo, 8 September 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011. It opened with around 170 pupils and a total staff of 29, including non-teaching support staff. The headteacher is Rachel Kelly.Stour Valley Community School profile, Department for Education. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
The school opened on the site of the former Clare Middle School which had around 300 pupils in four year groups.Parr.C (2010) Row as five secondary free schools approved, SecEd, 9 September 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2011. A building programme estimated to cost around £4.8 million and take around a year to complete and carried out by Balfour Beatty.Balfour Beatty appointed preferred bidder for £4.8 million schools contract, Balfour Beatty construction services, 6 April 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011.Schofield.J (2011) Firm wins free school contract, Evening Star, 6 April 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011. The middle school closed in August 2011 as part of Suffolk County Council's reorganisation of schools into a two-tier system.
At the beginning of the autumn term (starting in September) of 2026, the school had 569 pupils, out of a nominal capacity of 575.
History Local families formed a group called Campaign for Local And Rural Education (C.L.A.R.E) asking for the council to open a secondary school at the site, but the council refused.Clare 'in shock' at schools decision, Suffolk Free Press, 4 March 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2011. The group then set up the Stour Valley Educational Trust, and applied directly to the national government to open a school, concerned that children would have to travel up to to one of two existing secondary schools with around 1,200 pupils. The application was accepted, and the trust, operating as Stour Valley Educational Trust Ltd., opened the school on the old middle school site in September 2011.
Criticisms The trust, which opened the school with around 170 pupils, had initially expected over 200 pupils to attend the school in its first year and planned for more than 500 pupils by 2015.Richardson.H (2011) First green light for community's free school plan, BBC news, 14 January 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011. The school has been criticised as unnecessary, for wasting taxpayers' money and for its possible impact on surrounding high schools.Clare free school welcomes first pupils, BBC news, 8 September 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011. In 2011 the school spent £28,000 on marketing.Benson.S (2011) 'Freedom of information request', What do they know.com, 15 December 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011. The trust has stated that teachers will "have to teach two subjects and bring something else (to the school) as well".Vasagar.J (2011) More maths, longer days … Michael Gove's school vision takes shape, The Guardian, 3 January 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011. The school catchment area is predominantly made up of households in the "wealthy achiever" category,Vasagar.J (2011) What type of children go to free schools?, The Guardian, 31 August 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011. the most well off category, despite the free school programme being aimed at increasing social mobility.First 16 'free schools' details set out, BBC news, 10 September 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2011.Free schools 'not wanted' say teachers, BBC News, 3 January 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
References
External links Stour Valley Community School homepage