I would be interested in views from those who watched this evening's Tonight programme about a group of parents growing their own school from the comfort of their armchairs.
As an opponent of the policy I have to admit to a rare moment of pleasure when one of the proposers realised that in complying with a fair admissions policy her own children would not get places.
To me that threw the whole thing wide open - confirming that this is just a means by which sharp elbowed parents get something they 'want' regardless of the impact on all children in the area.
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Sorry to ruin your moment of pleasure Sarah but judging from this morning's TES the government will now guarantee Free School founders a place for their own child/children. I can imagine the deluge of texts/e-mails around the country as parents seek to establish that they ARE a founder of a school..' Now listen, I was there, holding the petition when we were getting the signatures to establish an interest...' ' I am SURE I was at that first meeting...' Etc etc. Expect a few new regulations to follow, establishing who or what constitutes the Founding Body of a Free School.
The programme boiled down to this: a small group of enthusiastic amateurs and one teacher (cue upbeat music) decide to set up a school. Guidance offered via the DfE helps them through the application process. Local Authority representative (cue plodding music) worries that educational provision in the area is now in disarray. At some future date (unknown) there might, or might not, be a school (facilities unknown) for 750 pupils offering a curriculum which is narrower (but allegedly deeper) than that provided by an existing school. The free school proposers have their architectural plans (financed by unknown). These show site renovation and new buildings (cost unknown).
Meanwhile in the same area the existing school is desperate for a fraction of the money which would be needed for the provision of the new school.
And people wonder by free schools are controversial.
Having said that, I had already heard that Gove was planning to water down the admissions code to allow the children of staff to have priority (what about other working mothers who would like a place at a popular school). The Code will be a charter for cronyism, cherry picking and rule-bending - and impossible to police.
So much for 'fair access'. I see the Schools Adjudicator has now gone - jumped or pushed? I'll let others be the judge. This policy is now completely beyond a joke.
Although,obviously I welcome the decision I wonder how far in other parts of the country the quality of existing schools has even been considered as a factor.
I also question whether the fact York is Lib Dem controlled might be a factor. Tory councils would,of course welcome free schools and the DfE won't care about any opposition from Labour (or independent) councils but could refusal to sanction a free school in a Lib Dem council area be a political decision?
For those that are interested in the York free school bid that was turned down, the full story is here
Adrian - the answer to your question is, nobody knows whether it's a political decision. And that's because the decision making about free schools is so cloaked in mystery. Any attempt at getting greater transparency is blocked by central government.
I had precisely eleven people text me to alert me to the show. I watched it. The whole thing made me feel a bit ill, and after seeing the TES article this morning, I feel angry. If they create what the parents of FS wanted in the first place- a nice 'just like us' school, and remove the possibility of seeking adjudication, while at the same time gutting LA budgets for local schools - well, it just makes me more nauseated - and more angry. I just need to learn what to do with this new bit of energy.
And, if another few parents in the area want a new school too but disagree with the way the existing group are doing it, what do they do? There is no obligation at all for the existing group to let them into the inner circle (especially now guaranteed places for 'kids of inner circle' are on offer). Start a rival campaign to set up a school along the lines they think are right?
Surely some kind of relatively impartial body setting up new schools with representations from all potentially interested parties makes more sense than concentrating the power in the hands of whoever happens to shout first and loudest?
Firstly, why were none of the free schoolers asked exactly why they felt the existing schools in the area weren't good enough and secondly, I would have expected to see a bit more about the existing schools; exam results, intake, OFSTED reports, how many applicants per place etc.
My boyfriend was watching the programme with me and apart from a desire for a 'just like us' school, we were both clueless as to exactly what the motivation behind the free school was.
I thought the programme was both a very poor effort and a wasted opportunity.
The rumour is that even the SOS has gone off Free Schools after his recent Free Schools Conference. I gather he was rather alarmed by the large number of religious groups stating they would not be teaching evolution. He is also alarmed at the capital costs
He is right to be alarmed by the capital costs and we should be asking why any money is being given to these projects when the James Review not yet reported on how schools that have lost out on BSF will receive capital funding in the future.
I think the James Review is expected now at the end of this month. The most likely outcome will be that local authority maintained schools will get very little, local authorities will get maintenance funding only and the big money will be centrally controlled and only available to Academies and Free Schools. It's the next step in the big financial bribe to persuade more schools to convert.
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