A TRUST behind ambitious plans to open a free school focussed on technology and business is urging parents to show their support.

The New Oxford School Trust (Nost) is resubmitting plans to the Department for Education to open an 800-pupil school on Harwell Science Park.

The school would specialise in providing employment skills and work experience at nearby hi-tech businesses.

Last July, the parents behind the Harwell Enterprise Academy were told they had not demonstrated enough demand in the area for the new school.

Now they are preparing to submit a new bid by February 24, this time with the backing of a leading education company and local businesses.

Under the Government’s flagship education policy, free schools can be set up by parents, teachers or charities where there is demand of a different education provider.

They are state-funded, and are free from local authority control.

Nost chairman Terry Stock said the plans were more developed than last year.

Wey Education, a private consultancy led by former Ofsted chairman Zenna Atkins, is now advising the trust, and could be contracted to run the school.

Mr Stock said: “Wey is one of the UK’s acknowledged leading organisations in education. They love the idea, and have come in to join our team.

“Last year, we did not really have anybody on the team with a strong education background, which we now have.”

He said more parents had come on board with the plan, but he wanted families to give their opinions online at newoxfordschooltrust.org “Last time the bid failed solely because there was not enough demonstrated parental support,” he added.

The academy would offer longer school days and extended work experience at companies across Science Vale UK, including Harwell, Culham and Milton Park.

Mr Stock said it would offer greater focus on English, maths and science, and provide training for students who could become the future workforce of local companies.

Trustee Mike Lawton, business development manager at ABSL Space Products in Culham, said: “What caught me was the focus on the practicalities of what businesses actually need in terms of science, technology, engineering and business skills to be successful.

“We seem to be teaching kids to pass exams rather than prepare for life with the skills businesses actually want.”

He said British schools were failing to bring on enough potential employees for hi-tech industries, forcing Oxfordshire companies to look overseas for recruits.

Mr Lawton added: “Rather than a two-week work experience placement, there would be a model of extended engagement over six to eight weeks, or even three or four months.”

If successful, the school would open in Harwell in September 2013 with initial provision for Year Seven and a lower sixth form.

Headteachers in Didcot and Wantage have opposed the plan, saying existing secondary schools already provide excellent science and business provision.