New school given £525k by council for equipment

Derbyshire County Council has provided £525,000 in funding to pay for classroom equipment for a new primary school.

Drakelow Park Flying High Academy in Drakelow will be run for the county council by the Flying High Partnership and is set to open in September 2026.

It has been funded and built by developers as a condition of planning permission being granted for a large housing estate nearby.

The funding will equip the school with desks, chairs, sports equipment, classroom resources, devices and interactive teaching boards.

Simon Mabbott, the council's cabinet Member for SEND and education, said: "We're delighted to have been able to secure a multimillion-pound school for South Derbyshire through the use of Section 106 agreements.

"It means we have added a cutting-edge new facility to our property portfolio which has not cost the authority any money to build but which will provide a safe, nurturing place for children to learn and thrive as the community grows."

The council said the school aims to provide spaces over the next seven years for the children of families who live on the newly built 2,200-home Dracan development.

The school will open in September to reception and nursery age children and will continue to admit one class each year as pupils move through the year groups and will eventually accommodate a total of 420 students up to Year 6.

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