Barry Chuckle-backed Rotherham free school gets go-ahead

The Rotherham Central school, which is being led by teacher and former Tory parliamentary candidate Charlotte Blencowe, has been given official approval by the Department for Education.

If it opens as planned next year, it would be part of a wave of schools free from local authority control.

Ms Blencowe has said that Chuckle Brother Barry Elliott could be the school’s patron.

But Rotherham Borough Council has formally objected to the formation of the new school.

Plans for a free school near Wath called Three Valleys were knocked back by the Government last month.

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