Joint school set for approval

Joint school set for approval

The council will vote on the plans on Wednesday

The first joint denominational Roman Catholic and Church of England school in Sheffield is set to be given approval.

Sheffield City Council says it has received no objections to the proposal during a statutory two-month period.

It means the £3.2m primary school can be given the go-ahead at the council's cabinet meeting on Wednesday 23 April.

The school will replace the St John's Church of England and St Oswald's Catholic junior schools, which will be amalgamated in September 2005.

The Department for Education is providing £2.6m for the project - the remaining £648,000 will come from the Dioceses of Hallam and Sheffield.

Parental support

In a joint statement, the Dioceses said the school would fully reflect both the Church of England and Catholic traditions.

"Our aim is to create a new school which will provide an excellent education recognising the unique dignity of each child.

"We fully support this joint project seeing it as a model for future faith schools."

The Dioceses claim the new school has the support of staff, governors and parents of both St Oswald's and St John's.