A SECOND York independent school is in the running for the Queen Anne School site, the Evening Press can reveal today.

Bootham School has got together with two unnamed residential developers in a bid to buy the site.

Six other bids have been submitted to the City of York Council for the site, off Bootham, including one from St Peter's School.

The site is for sale because Queen Anne School is to close next month.

Nicholas Marten, bursar at Bootham School, said: "The situation is that we are involved in a bid for the old school part of Queen Anne's which has been put together by a couple of developers."

He said the Quaker school was interested in using the listed building for educational use and the developers were interested in the rest of the site.

The school has recently secured planning permission to build new premises for its Ebor preparatory school on land off Rawcliffe Lane because of growing numbers.

Meanwhile, staff at the Acorn Day Nursery, which has been based at Queen Anne School for nine years, are celebrating after being told they will be able to stay in their home whoever buys the building.

Bill Woolley, City of York Council's assistant director for environment and development services, said the nursery had a lease which entitled them to stay there.

He said officers were still examining the tenders for the site and were likely to be reporting to councillors in about a week's time.

Once councillors have seen their recommendations there is set to be a public consultation on any options.

janet.hewison@ycp.co.uk