A NEW educational trust led by prominent scientists, engineers and academics has unveiled plans to build a £10m free school in Bradford.

The specialist science school for 11- to 19-year-olds would focus on readying pupils from deprived areas for careers in medicine, healthcare, science, engineering and technology.

The facility, and a sister school planned for Huddersfield, could both open next year and would be the first in a planned new chain of schools called the Yorkshire Academy.

Behind the trust is Huddersfield-based Mustafa Mohammed, the founder and owner of dentistry business Genix Healthcare, and Bolton-based Dr Zubair Hanslot, the provost of the University of Bolton and chief executive of the town’s National Centre for Motorsport Engineering.

The pair previously teamed up to open a University Technical College in Bolton in 2015.

Mr Mohammed said: “The new schools will instil in young people the confidence and belief that hard work and dedication will lead to success in life and a rewarding career path.

“They will develop a successful ethos usually found in leading public schools.”

The steering committee also includes prominent figures from education and industry, such as Simon Blagden CBE, chairman of Fujitsu UK, and Professor George Holmes, Vice Chancellor of the University of Bolton.

The founders and members of the steering committee are holding a consultation evening for parents, businesses and others to find out more about the project.

It takes place at 6pm on February 28 at City Hall, Centenary Square, Bradford.

The trust has yet to find a site and will need an estimated £10m for the new-build school.

If the Department for Education approves this funding, the school could open in September 2018, beginning with 180 Year 7 places and 120 Year 12 places.

According to the trust, the school would offer GCSEs and A-levels in core subjects but pupils would also be given an insight into medicine, healthcare, science, engineering and technology using specialist facilities.