PARENTS in York hoping to set up a new secondary school in Holgate said they are “getting creative” after the Government said funding for a new building was unlikely.

Tim Moat and Neil Furguson, two of the parents behind the project, were recently invited to London to meet the Department for Education, after the Holgate campaign was recognised as been at an “advanced stage”.

However, Mr Moat said: “It was clear that capital funding for a new build would only be considered if it was the last resort, having exhausted all other options.

“Even then, the business case would have to be particularly strong. We were urged to try and find innovative solutions for refurbishing or adapting existing premises, maybe buddying up with other organisations or working from split sites.”

Mr Moat would not reveal what options were being considered as a premises for the Holgate school, but he said a solution may be found across “a couple of sites”.

He said: “The litmus test for us is: if I wasn’t involved in this project, would I want my own kids to go there?

“In order for the campaign to be successful and for our school to open for its first intake in September 2012, we need to be working on our outline proposal now.

“We are nearly there in terms of assembling the information that we need.

“The process begins with us submitting an outline proposal demonstrating evidence of demand, the kind of education we plan to offer and an idea for premises. If this is approved, we are then allocated a named Department for Education official who will work closely with us on preparing a robust business case.”

Mr Moat urged interested parents to visit the campaign’s website and register their support. The group currently has 16 of the required 60 signatures needed to demonstrate local commitment to the Government.

“I haven’t spoken to anyone who thinks this is a bad idea,” he said. “I just need to translate that into action.”

For more information, visit yorkfreeschool.org.uk