<strong>An artist's impression of the new school.</strong> <strong>An artist's impression of the new school.</strong> A NEW sponsor has been unveiled for a hotly-anticipated secondary school due to open its doors in Arborfield next year.

Bohunt Education Trust (BET) was announced as the sponsor of the new academy at the Arborfield Garrison site that will welcome its first intake of students in September 2016.

The academic trust already sponsors schools in Liphook, Worthing and Southsea and was selected by parents after submitting a proposal to Wokingham Borough Council.

Cllr Charlotte Haitham Taylor, executive member for children’s services, said: “This is another major milestone in the school’s development.

“The trust’s proposal was exceptional and their offer very exciting.

“We’re very much looking forward to working with them and building on the strong parent involvement in this project as we move ahead to opening a great new school, on time, next September.

“I hope the selection of this first-rate provider will offer considerable reassurance to parents thinking about applying for the new school.

“The foundations of the school are being built on strong parent involvement. The parent reference group and the wider community have been involved every step of the way and I’d like to thank them once again for their invaluable contributions so far.

“The aspiration of parents and the borough council is that we create a state of the art school and additional funding has been allocated to ensure this. We’re investing now in our children and young people, and for future generations.” The trust’s first school in Liphook was rated outstanding by Ofsted and was named the Times Educational Supplement’s (TES) School of the Year for 2014.

The new Bohunt School in Worthing will not open until September of this year and the trust has been a partner of the Priory School in Southsea, Hampshire since September of last year.

It also introduced one of the country’s very first STEM curricula, which involves all students in Year 7 to Year 9 taking part in regular science, technology, engineering and mathematics lessons.

Lloyd Watkins, chair of the Parent Reference Group, said he was “deeply impressed by the depth of the trust’s bid” which “carefully assessed the needs of the community”.

He added: “On behalf of the group, I would like to say how pleased I am that such a credible, capable and exciting education provider has been appointed.

“This appointment provides a fantastic new opportunity for our children in a purpose built 21st century facility. We are thrilled with the selection and are looking forward to working with Bohunt to create not just a new school but a launch pad for the next generation.” Neil Strowger, chief executive of the BET, said: “Our vision is to create an environment where students are able to thrive inside and outside of the classroom.

“We want to provide young people in the area from all backgrounds with every opportunity to succeed during their school years and beyond.” Applications for places for Year 7 pupils will be open from September 12 to October 31, 2015.

Students and their parents will have the chance to meet staff and hear plans at two planned parents’ evenings, provisionally scheduled to take place on the evenings of October 6 and 7.