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The first steps towards building two new Academies in Southampton have been agreed by the city council. Cabinet members have given officers the go ahead to oversee the design and construction of Oasis Academy Lord's Hill and Oasis Academy Mayfield. The new schools have been formed from four closing schools - Oaklands Community School and Millbrook Community School in the west of the city and Grove Park Business and Enterprise College and Woolston School Language College in the east. The changes came about following a review of secondary education completed in 2007. Oasis Community Learning will open its Academies in September, using the existing school sites until their new buildings are completed. In the long-term, Mayfield will be located on Portsmouth Road and Lord's Hill on part of the Five Acre Field/Lordshill Recreation Ground. Councillor Peter Baillie, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said: "The city council has an important role in creating the Academies that will be run by Oasis Community Learning. We will be working closely with Oasis Community Learning and the school communities to make sure they have new buildings that meet their aspirations for high educational standards." Steve Chalke, Chief Executive of Oasis Community Learning, said: "The two Academies represent a great opportunity to give Southampton's young people the best possible education. We all know that the performance of Southampton's schools in enabling young people to take their place as confident and active citizens in society is a key factor in the future prosperity of the city. Oasis Community Learning will work with the city council, parents and the local community to make a real difference for the young people in Southampton." Oasis Community Learning were selected to run Southampton's Academies following a competition as part of the secondary school review. During the review, proposals were discussed to build a Learning Campus on the Five Acre Field. Work will now get underway to enable a small piece of this land to be used for the Lord's Hill Academy. Officers will also look at the options for improved access to the future Mayfield Academy site from Portsmouth Road. The city council will apply to the national Partnership for Schools, which oversees the building of secondary schools, for £400,000 to supplement £405,800 it has set aside to manage the Academies building project. The construction of the Academies will be funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), with Mayfield expected to cost £15.2m and Lord's Hill £19.2m.
For more information visit Southampton City Council
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