GKA supported Prosper Learning Trust with their growth plan and application for a fifth school, Gilbert Ward Academy, in late 2019.  In May 2020, the Department for Education approved the application for Prosper Learning Trust as the preferred academy trust to deliver a new Special Free School in Northumberland for children aged 11-16 with Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs and autism. Following approval of the feasibility and outline plans for the capital build project the Trust were able to move forward with the statutory consultation.  

GKA provided advice and guidance on the contractual arrangements, overseeing the consultation process, setting up governance arrangements, supporting the development of an education brief, and overseeing the build project. The build project had a challenging timescale from the start and a temporary solution to house the school from September 2023 was required. The school opened in September 2023 in community centre provision and the new build was handed over to the Trust in January 2024.  GKA were able to support Prosper Learning Trust through this complex process.  

Following writing a successful application to sponsor the new school GKA supported Prosper Learning Trust in project managing the pre-opening phase/development of a new Special Free School – Harry Watts Academy, in Sunderland in 2019.   The new school was commissioned by the local authority to provide specialist education for up to 96 autistic children aged 5-16, as a direct result of the increased demand for autism places within Sunderland and neighbouring authorities. The school would complement existing provision, responding to both pupil place planning pressure and parental demand. 

GKA led the project management of the development of the new school, from liaising with the DfE and LA on contractual arrangements to managing the consultation process to the handover of keys to the new build.  Work undertaken included setting up governance arrangements, development of an education brief, procurement of ICT and Fixtures Furniture & Equipment contracts, overseeing the marketing and communications and liaison with the Local Authority on the build project. The build was during Covid, which created additional challenges to the project in terms of delivery.  The school opened on time at a temporary site in September 2020 and the new build was handed over in December 2020 and opened in January 2021.  The school retained the temporary site and now operates across both and has 170 pupils and was judged Outstanding in its first inspection in 2023. 

In 2021, GKA supported Ethos Academy Trust in submitting an application to sponsor a new special free school in Rotherham.  In February 2022 the Department for Education approved the application from Ethos Academy Trust to be the preferred partner to deliver the new school for 125 pupils aged 7-16 years with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. 

GKA project managed the new free school from consultation, TUPE and through to completion, liaising with Rotherham Council to facilitate the procurement of all the ICT, furniture and equipment, this involved working closely with Rotherham Council to ensure that the building was fit for purpose for an alternative provision academy with suitable safety features (CCTV, gates, anti-climb paint and devices etc).  GKA also managed the recruitment of over 35 staff, screening candidates and completing safer recruitment and DBS checks through the summer to ensure that all staff were cleared to begin work when the school opened. 

Element Academy successfully opened to pupils in September 2022.