Did anyone see the BBC programme on Free Schools tonight?

[sb]

.

[Fuschia]

Especially since the money to set these up is coming from state schools, there is no requirement on those establishing free schools o demonstrate there is a need for places, and in freezing school building programmes the govt has ceased to fund the expansion in school places that was required in many areas. Money is being diverted from where it was needed to meet a need due to a shortage, to establish free schools elsewhere... purely political.

[sb]

.

[duchessofdulwich]

i think it would be great to have a free school in dulwich

[BB100]

The thing that screamed at me was how the guy leading a free school project just didn't listen to the boy who showed him around a comprehensive school. All we need is more dictators creating oppressed truanting children in our education system. Free schools should live upto their name by producing free thinkers.

[sb]

.

[njc97]

"pet project" is a bit of disparaging description of possibly the most radical change to education in decades. Obviously everyone wants "decent state schools" but the government has decided this is best way of acheiving that. Surveys of results elsewhere are a bit inconclusive, but the most positive ones show that not only are the free schools better for pupils but they pull up the performance of other schools as well.

I missed the programme but presumably "Heston" was Toby Young. I'm not sure you can take his views as representative of how free schools will work in general.

[BB100]

njc97 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> I missed the programme but presumably "Heston" was

> Toby Young. I'm not sure you can take his views as

> representative of how free schools will work in

> general.

No but it encapsulates how parents are not necessarily the best people to lead education reform if they adopt the 'we know what's best' approach. It's 100 years back to 'force feeding' (he used that term not me).

[Fuschia]

I objest very strongly about schools being established where there is no shortage of places, given the money is being diverted from existing schools, many of which need major investment in poor or indequate buildings, and may not have sufficient places.

For instance, in the LA where I work, there is a need for an extra 10 forms of entry for Year 7 within 8 years. Noe all building plans are frozen, and money is being diverted to free schools in other areas. If we were the families affected by this, we would be up in arms!!

[randomv]

I've yet to watch the program although I've read plenty of Toby Young's comments on this. The thing that struck me was that he explains his drive to open a school being that to live in London and pay for one child to be privately educated is do-able, but since be has 4 children it's not possible. Well, do you know what mate, just don't have so many children!! I'd love to have a huge brood but I can't afford it!

I'm with Fuschia re objecting to schools being opened (at cost to us) whilst there are spaces available in existing schools and fear it is consigning the kids in non achieving schools to the scrap heap for good. I don't know what the solution is (other than to ban private schools lol) but I'm not sure this is it..

[sb]

.

[randomv]

sb, he's a journo/writer. Author of How to Lose Friends and Alienate people. Think he writes for the Spectator also..

[millymoll]

Toby Young's father was Michael Young who helped create the Open University and Which Magazine. His mother was Sasha Moorsom

a writer who also founded Lauderdale House Arts Centre in Highgate. Can't imagine they'd be too chuffed with the whole free

school thing.....

[James Barber]

Hi njc97,

I'm not aware of any research to show the Swedish 'free schools' modfel as producing anything other than average results.

Hi Fuschia,

I'm with you on this one for host of reasons. Fortunately free schools is yet to prove popular - it takes a lot to create a viable school.

The Tories in the colaition government wanted free schools. In exchange the Lib Dems get the Pupil Premium - where schools get extra money for every child from a disdvantaged background - based on Dutch idea. The first tranche of Pupil Premium arrives Sept 2011.

[BB100]

And how much will it cost exactly?

[Fuschia]

James Barber Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

In exchange the Lib Dems get the Pupil

> Premium - where schools get extra money for every

> child from a disdvantaged background - based on

> Dutch idea. The first tranche of Pupil Premium

> arrives Sept 2011.

Only schools in deprived areas like the one I work in, which already got enhanced funding through various mechanisms, will apparently lose out substantially as the same money gets spread across more LEAS/more schools. So the pupils in our area will actually get less. And although it was promised schools would be "protected" we are going to have to fork out to pay for many services that we used to receive for free or subsidised, as spending cuts decimate the LEA. I estimaate the effect of these two factors will be cuts upwards of 10% in my school.

[njc97]

James - I think I've seen surveys of Sweden that go either way (some suggest free schools have helped, some that they have had little impact) but there have been positive results in the US.