Headteachers in Bath have expressed their dismay at the collapse of plans for the Dyson school.

Heads across the area had almost unanimously backed the plans, believing it would have had a positive impact on young people in the city.

Funding for the engineering academy was turned down in favour of Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Peter Jones’s enterprise centre in Buckinghamshire.

Back in December, 11 secondary school headteachers signed a letter urging civic leaders not to let the issue of heritage come before the future of the city’s children.

Headteacher of Hayesfield School Erica Draisey said: “It is a great pity that something which could have enhanced the educational provisions for Bath has been lost to the city.”

Acting headteacher at Culverhay School Sean Wyartt said: “It is a shame for the city and for all the students in Bath that an opportunity like this is going to be missed.

“It seemed like potentially an exciting idea and it is a shame that it has taken so long and now it is not going to happen at all.”

Deputy head and design teacher at Ralph Allen Steve Rose said: “We have worked with the Dyson Foundation on a number of occasions and the people are fantastically innovative and creative.

“We, as a school, feel it is a dreadful shame and an opportunity lost. What a shame the Government hasn’t seen fit to fund something that can offer cutting edge education.”

However others were more cautious about what the academy would have meant for the city.

Principal of City of Bath College Matt Atkinson said: “It is difficult for us to take a view on this development because the educational aspects of the project were never made clear.”

Mr Jones’s £32 million enterprise centre was one of four specialist academies given the green-light by the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) on Tuesday, the others focusing on power, IT and social care.

A DIUS spokesman said: “The decisions were made following a robust and independent process. 

“All applicants were appraised by the same tough criteria and were judged by an independent panel, including senior employers that was led by the Learning and Skills Council. This is done independently of ministers.

“The standard of bids was very high. We will provide detailed feedback to those who were unsuccessful on this occasion and see how we can work with them further.”

The enterprise academy is due to welcome its first small intake of students to test the facilities in January, before opening fully for its first cohort of 200 pupils next September.