(last updated 9 March 2012)
The inspiration for Free Schools, government funded, privately owned, free of most of the constraints government sees fit to lay with maintained schools is Sweden where these have operated for many years. In May 2010, Swedish education minister Bertil Ostberg is reported to have said in a widely quoted interview: "We have actually seen a fall in the quality of Swedish schools since the free schools were introduced." "The free schools are generally attended by children of better educated and wealthy families, making things even more difficult for children attending ordinary schools in poor areas." He added: "Most of our free schools have ended up being run by companies for profit." More recently, government has sought to show the success of some Charter Schools (the US equivalent of Free Schools in in New York and Chicago) is evidence of the potential opportunities for English Free Schools. However ,there is considerable evidence that whilst some high profile Charter Schools are very successful, overall results are moderate. One can similarly expect that some high profile Free Schools in this country will be successful where there si excellent leadership, but such leadership can operate in all types of school and is not unique ot Free sChools, unless they can all offer higher salaries to attract the best headteachers out of mainstream schools.
It is further reported (Independent 11 May) that nine out of ten of the 323 proposals for free schools have been rejected at the first stage. An unspecified number failed the fit and proper persons test.
Paul Carter, Leader of Kent County Council, who has visited Sweden on a study tour of Free Schools, is quoted as saying:“Local authorities still have statutory functions to perform. They have to arrange and organise school admissions, statements for special educational needs pupils – a whole range or services that need paying for. Free Schools … don’t have the statutory duty to carry out these responsibilities.” He concludes that:
“At the moment, the more academies and Free Schools you operate, under the current funding arrangements, the less maintained schools would get.” (Hargreaves/BBC News, 2010)
There are two new Groups looking to set up Free Schools. Sevenoaks Christian School has now submitted its proposal to government for a Christian Comprehensive School on the disused site of the Old Wildernesse School. However there is a competing project for a grammar school annexe on the same site to offer a grammar school provision in Sevenoaks. You can read my comments here. In addition there is The Wells Free School, a proposed primary school in Tunbridge Wells, to ease pressure on the chronic shortage of spaces. Again, I have written the background story to this elsewhere.
There are now at least three other groups now considering setting up Free Schools in Kent for widely differing reasons, although only one of these (Tiger Free School) has reached a formal stage. The proposed Tiger Primary School in Maidstone on the site of the New Line Learning Academy is being proposed by the Future Schools Trust, that runs both New Line Learning Academy and the Cornwallis Academy also in Maidstone. It has now passed the first government stage of application, to open in September 2012. Key distinctive features include (in order): a focus on Mandarin alongside English; training to improve numeracy; encouraging all children to play a musical instrument; being open from 7.30 to 6 p.m. of particular benefit to working parents; and a healthy breakfast, lunch and tea on offer to all students. There is only limited information available on the website. You can read my comments on recent developments here.
The Kings Academy, in Kings Hill (primary) and the Wye Free School (secondary) at Wye near Ashford, are already featured in these pages. The proposers of Wye Free School, having initially withdrawn their application have now decided to go ahead with it aiming to open in 2013. The proposal is for a small, comprehensive (non-selective) secondary school in the village of Wye. You will find full details here. At present it sounds very idealistic, seeking to attract all abilities across the polarised grammar/non selective system in Kent. Private schools in East Kent mainly cater for children who have not been found selective under the Kent Eleven plus, and similarly one sees very few parents of able children being attracted such a small comprehensive school. The proposal to focus on the academic curriculum curriculum of the English Baccalaureate indicates the philosophy of the proposers, although their press release paints a highly ambitious programme, apparently catering for all interests and aptitudes (nothing wrong with that) which may be difficult to achieve in such a small school. Part of the thinking behind the proposal may be for children to avoid the large and socially diverse non selective schools in Ashford and Kennington, and again, there is nothing wrong with self interest - its just that it would be paid for out of the shrinking funds available for state schools nationally.
Latest applicant is Hadlow Rural Community School which would be for secondary students aged 11 to 16 and based on Hadlow College’s grounds near Tonbridge, recruiting both at ages eleven and fourteen. There is no local secondary school nearby, although it is in the Tonbridge area for selective schools. It could therefore draw students from Tonbridge, Sevenoaks or the Paddock Wood area. As yet none of the applications from Kent have been approved. You will find a news article on the proposal here.