Creative free school for those struggling in the mainstream

A new creative free school is to open in North London offering performing arts and media provision to young people who are failing to thrive in mainstream education. The school will build on existing programmes at Wac Arts in Belsize Park, a performing arts and media college which currently offers training opportunities for under-25s with the aim of supporting them into further education, training and employment. The school is one of only 16 to be approved by the Department of Education that offers ‘alternative’ provision and has secured funding for the next five years. Celia Greenwood, Chief Executive at Wac Arts explained: “We can now meet the needs of 14-19 year olds who fail in school but have huge creative potential.”  The school will benefit young people living in Camden and surrounding London boroughs, with plans for the first pupils to start in September 2014.