Gloucestershire County Council is looking for sponsors for two new primary schools in the county.
Large housing developments planned for the Stroud and Cotswolds district will mean new schools will have to be built to cope with the population growth.
The county council is looking to advertise for sponsors of two new free schools which both will be primary, in Stonehouse and Cirencester, from April 1.
The developers behind both housing estates have agreed to fund and provide the primary schools in their districts.
It is early days for further information to be released, however, so here&apos;s what we know so far.
The market town of the Cotswolds, Cirencester, is set to expand by 40 per cent as 2,300 homes are planned on land in Chesterton.
Bathurst Developments Ltd, which is behind the plans, has agreed to fund and provide the new free primary school.
The school will be opened initially on a host site in September 2021, moving to its permanent site in September 2023, according to a council document.
The school will open over a phased time-frame, allowing it to grow gradually to accommodate new pupils as the housing comes on line.
The final decision on who will be the sponsor of the new school will be made in the early part of the 2019/20 academic year, by the Regional Schools Commissioner.
A housing development of 1,350 new homes is planned on the western part of Stonehouse.
Robert Hitchins Ltd, which is behind the estate, has agreed to fund and provide the new free primary school.
The school will be opened initially in temporary buildings on a site yet to be confirmed in September 2020, moving to its permanent site for September 2021, according to a council report.
The school will open in a phased manner, allowing it to grow gradually to meet and accommodate new pupils as the housing comes on line.
A new idea of the Coalition Government: state-funded primary or secondary schools with even more freedoms, established in response to local demand by parents, teachers, charities, universities or not-for-profit businesses.
They can be located in any building - an old school, an office block, or even a church hall.
Teachers, controversially, do not have to hold qualified teacher status.
Local authorities cannot block the establishment of free schools.