EDUCATION bosses have welcomed a grant for a ground-breaking school in Huddersfield.

Around £4.5m has been offered by the Government for the Creative and Media Studio School at Netherhall Learning Campus, Rawthorpe, which had been under threat due to Government funding cuts.

It now has the green light to cater for 300 students aged 14-19 from across Kirklees.

The school will take a different approach to learning as it offers the chance to work directly with local businesses and develop practical skills which will help young people enter the world of work.

The good news came the week before Christmas, and months after the Government decided to end the huge Building Schools for the Future project, which could have seen hundreds of millions invested in Kirklees schools.

Clr Ken Smith, Kirklees Council’s joint Cabinet member for Children and Families, said: “This scheme has been a long time in planning and we are overjoyed at getting the go-ahead for a school which gives a positive link between commerce and education.

“We have worked hard to secure this Government funding and I want to thank our partners in commerce for all their expertise and encouragement, as well as our own staff for their commitment over a long period.”

John Edwards, assistant director for Learning at Kirklees Council, said: “We are delighted that the Department for Education has confirmed £4.48m of funding for The Creative and Media Studio School.

“We recognise that having these significant funds, at a time when monies for capital projects are sharply reduced, provides a unique opportunity to take forward the Studio School and make solid plans for the future.

“The Studio School will play an important role in raising aspirations and equipping young people with the expertise they need to succeed in life and work.

“Confirmation of the funding is great news not just for the Studio School but for students from across Kirklees whose ambitions match this unique offer.

“They will benefit from the school’s innovative, practical approach to learning, which involves enterprise projects and work with businesses embedded in the Studio School itself.

“These local creative and media businesses are linked to, and located within, the Studio School, providing real-time business activity to complement studies and developing the business awareness and knowledge that will enable each student to explore their own potential.”