NORTH Oxfordshire's first free school has finally welcomed sixth formers through its doors five years after opening.

Heyford Park Free School opened on the former army base site at RAF Upper Heyford in September 2018.

The school was built using many of the former RAF buildings, such as the Officer's Mess, and since opening has welcomed more and more pupils to its register.

This year this included opening the sixth form for the first time and students were welcomed with a three-day induction course before joining the role on September 4.

Heyford Park Free School principal Karen Healey said: "Our groups will be small allowing us to provide a tailored approach and ensure our students are both challenged and supported to achieve their best.

"In designing the curriculum, we have been inspired by the proverb ‘it takes a village to raise a child’."

Heyford Park Free School is run by the Dorchester Group, an arm of site developers Dorchester Living who are leading the regeneration of the former army base.

As one of the first free schools in the county it effectively has more flexibility with setting its own curriculum, despite being government funded.

The new sixth form addition to the school has also brought with it a new partnership with local autonomous electric vehicle firm Roborace - which builds and races the vehicles.

The new Heyfordian employability and leadership scheme hopes to help students to better learn about employment through experience and guidance from Roborace.

Heyford Park Free School chairman of governors Paul Silver said: "As a school, we have close links with businesses and this network is growing each day.

"The partnership between educationalists and the business community provides a strong basis for ensuring learning is relevant for the changing world we live in, equipping our students not only with academic skills, but the personal skills necessary to be successful in today’s world."

Ahead of starting the school term sixth formers were given a three-day induction which included a visit to Heyford Park Heritage Centre to find out about the history of Heyford Park and the types of planes flown there.

They also visited the Weston Library at Oxford University, Blenheim Palace and decided on the sixth form 2018 charities.