A NEW primary school is set to open in Bolton which will transform Essa Academy into Bolton’s second “super school”.

Essa Primary in Great Lever is due to open its doors in 2014.

And parents are now being invited to register their interest in sending their child to the school by completing a pre-application form.

Bolton’s first “super school”, educating pupils from nursery through to sixth form, was St Catherine’s Academy in Harwood.

Essa Academy will educate pupils from nursery through to secondary school.

Headteacher Showk Badat said: “Essa Primary will open its doors in September 2014 subject to Department for Education (DfE) approval. The reason for the primary is due to an increase in demand for primary school places in the locality.”

The new primary will be part of the Essa Foundation Trust.

Mr Badat added: “It aims to provide the best possible start in life for all our young children to make sure their future is bright and prosperous.

“Essa Primary will provide an inspiring learning environment where young children will feel safe, cared for and fully engaged in their learning.”

The school plans to take 60 children in nursery, 30 in reception and 30 in year one. It is expected to open in existing buildings on campus as outlined in the proposal document.

Essa Academy, a state-funded independent school, opened in 2009 to replace the poorly performing Hayward School and moved into a new £18 million campus in 2011.

Primary school children would be able to use the state-of-the-art resources in the secondary school.

A Bolton Council spokesman said: “The council is aware the Essa Foundation has made an application to the DfE to establish a free school for primary age children.

“The proposal is for a one form entry primary school with a capacity of 210 pupils and this would increase the number of places available in the centre of the borough.

“The pre-application form is not an application form for a place at the new school and if the school is approved by the DfE, parents will need to apply for a place via the local authority, who coordinate admissions for all state funded schools in the borough.”