Over 130,000 extra school places has been made available with the approval by Education Secretary Michael Gove of 102 new free school due to open in 2014 and beyond.
Free schools are state-funded schools independent of local authority control. They are to be run by teachers not local or central government bureaucrats. They have the freedom to decide the length of the school day and term, the curriculum, and how they reward their teachers and spend their money.
Many of the free schools approved will be based in areas of deprivation, or where there is a shortage of school places, like the schools open or approved.
Among the free school proposals approved are: The Jane Austen College in Norwich, a secondary school for 1,100 students that will specialise in English. It has been proposed by inspirational Head Teacher, Rachel De Souza. The school will have a focus on cultural literacy and traditional academic subjects, with every pupil studying a language until 16, with the option to study Latin.
In total, 70 of the applications approved are from teachers, existing schools, and educational organisations. Twenty-four of the approved free schools – 8 special free schools and 16 alternative provision free schools – will serve the most vulnerable children and young people. This adds to the 5 special and 12 alternative provision free schools that opened in September 2012, and Harmonize Academy, an alternative provision free school, that opened in January this year.
Today’s announcement underlines the continuing demand for free schools. More local communities want a different or better school to meet the needs of their children and to help drive up standards in their local area.
Education Secretary Michael Gove said: “There are many innovators in local communities set on raising standards of education for their children. I am delighted to approve so many of their high-quality plans to open a free school.
“Free schools are extremely popular with parents and are delivering strong discipline and teaching excellence across the country.”
