Permission has been granted for a nursery to be turned into a secondary school looking to re-engage and re-integrate children into education.
The approval of the plans will see Channings Childcare just off Chadderton Way converted into an EdStart Specialist Independent School, which will provide education for up to 40 children aged between 11 and 16.
EdStart is an education service which has operated in Greater Manchester since 2010 and looks to create "a suitable environment and curriculum to match pupils’ varying needs", including special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and mental health challenges.
The current nursery is a two-storey building, which was originally a flat-roofed church built in the 1960s, and can be accessed by Barton Street.
The Channings Childcare nursery opened in 2015 and has two outdoor play areas as well as three classrooms, a dining area and other amenities.
There are four other Channings Childcare nurseries in the Oldham and Rochdale areas, including ones in Royton and Werneth.
The new use of the facility will see EdStart deliver a specialist education service which will look to re-engage young people and create opportunities that lead to children re-integrating into school, further education and employment.
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According to a supporting statement prepared for EdStart, the service sees each pupil receive an individual learning plan and students are supported throughout the programme by teachers, learning mentors and youth workers.
Rated Good by Ofsted and with nine schools across the North West, EdStart works with inclusion services, social workers and care homes to safeguard and provide education, post-16 destination and life skills for students' futures.
The supporting document states that demand for specialist independent school services has been "highlighted by partners and colleagues in senior education positions throughout the North West" in the past year and that Edstart have "answered their request" by applying to open a premises in Oldham.
Six permanent members of staff will supervise the pupils during the school day, which will last between 8.30am and 2.30pm and include a morning break and a lunch break.
The planning documents have stated that no major internal or external works are set to be carried out to the building.
Kevin Buchanan, executive headteacher at EdStart Schools, said: “This is great news for the people of Oldham. We are delighted that we have moved a step closer towards opening a larger space with increased student capacity to our EdStart Schools family in the town.
"This will provide the Oldham community with additional support for young people who might struggle in mainstream school settings.
“We know young people can achieve and succeed when given the right support and opportunities.
"We are very much looking forward to building on our previous four years in Oldham, and our new premises will allow us to continue our success in developing brilliant 16-year-olds.”
After the application was submitted in May, the plans were formally approved on Wednesday, July 17.
Channings Childcare was approached for comment
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