Hmm, yes, as you say, it's really no different to any of the other newspaper write-ups. I was looking for something with a bit more academic meat.
I'm finding this paper interesting, but admittedly I've only had time to read about 1/3 of it today...
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www.nber.org]
Have mentioned previously that I find it hard to make an informed decision on the topic b/c so much of the argument is rhetorical. This is (so I'm readily educated by forumites far more erudite than I, I'm sure) 'fence sitting', and it's a bad thing, b/c in the meantime the government will empty it's coffers into free schools which will go tits-up, and there will be no money left for education.
But where's the data? Quite frankly, without anything more to go on than rhetoric, that scenario is no more or less likely than a scenario in which the free school plan is wildly successful in its stated attempt to narrow the education gap, leaving extra money available for education.
I remain undecided, but I'm willing to be swayed either way, just not with rhetoric alone!