TEACHERS and pupils are celebrating after a secondary school won its bid to open a sixth form.

Rayleigh will soon be getting its second sixth form after the Education Funding Agency approved an application from the Fitzwimarc School, in Hockley Road.

The school has been fighting for the new addition since 1999, but had been thwarted by the Department for Education.

Headteacher Robert Harris returned from the half term break to the good news that he application had finally been successful.

The sixth form will open to Year 12 pupils in September 2016.

Mr Harris said: “The support from the local community has been overwhelming, from both existing parents and those who were associated with the school in the past and wished that their children had been granted this opportunity.

“The governors and staff have worked extremely hard to produce what our link at the Education Funding Agency described as the best business case he had ever seen.”

The sixth form will be the second in Rayleigh, after Sweyne Park School opened its facility in September 2014.

The school's headteacher Andy Hodgkinson, along with Rayleigh and Wickford MP Mark Francois, and Russell Ayling, former headteacher at William de Ferrers School, in South Woodham Ferrers, advised Mr Harris throughout Fitzwimarc's application.

Fitzwimarc became an academy earlier this year.

Mr Harris believes staff can maintain the outstanding rating which was awarded by Ofsted in 2012.

He added: “We are all excited about the opportunities that this brings.

“We have dedicated teaching staff who know our students well. They will continue their outstanding performance at 11-16 level in helping the students achieve the very best grades at A-level.

“We have spent many hours preparing for this outcome and it is a joy to be able to put our plans into fruition. It is now that the hard work really starts.”

Mr Francois backed the school’s academy conversion, and said the sixth form would be a positive addition to Rayleigh’s education provision.

He said: “I am delighted to hear that Fitzwimarc have succeeded in their bid to establish a new sixth form from next year.

“I would like to congratulate Mr Harris, the governors, staff and pupils at Fitzwimarc and all the parents who backed the bid as well.”

The school will hold an open evening from 7pm on Thursday, November 12.