Free Schools are a further extension of the academy model that the previous government introduced as a measure to raise standards in deprived areas. A Free School will be an academy that is created where a group, whether it be a charity, faith group or parents, decide that they wish to open a school in an area and where there is sufficient parental demand for a new school. Whether the area already has sufficient or surplus places will not be a determining factor as the DfE will look for:
- The promoters of the school to be fit and proper to run a school;
- Sufficient parental demand for a new school;
- Sufficiently strong business case showing financial viability over a minimum of 5 years
- The aims of the school to comply with necessary government policies and be aligned with the aims of a democratic society
Free School proposals will be judged on certain criteria published by the DfE (www.education.gov.uk/freeschools). The schools themselves will be independent state schools like academies which will work within the framework established under the funding arrangements. Free Schools will not be bound by the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document or the National Curriculum. However, there will be restrictions such as those which apply under the Independent School Standards and additional ones to reflect their position in the state sector – compliance with the Admissions Code and SEN Code and participation in certain local authority schemes relating to admisions and exclusions.
The DfE has provided funding to the New Schools Network to assist promoters bring proposals forward and there will be a need to for promoters to obtain support in assessing parental demand, estimating finances and structural needs, appropriate governance, employment issues alongside the key issue of finding a suitable location and property from which the free school can operate. Legal advice will also be required to ensure the aims of the Free School and any faith/denominational issues are reflected when the charitable company that will run the Free School is established and in any funding arrangements agreed with DfE. There will also be a need for employment advice around the recruitment of suitable staff and a Principal to lead the school and to secure sufficient land and property in order to run the school.
Much of the detail on the process and documentation is not yet available but the early indications are that Free Schools will follow model documentation similar to the other academies already operational or those to be created under the Academies Bill. It also appears that Free Schools will be the means by which independent schools may transfer into the state sector and therefore will be of interest to charitable organisations in those sectors which may feel the need to make a move to protect their operations.
Anthony Collins has had a long involvement in supporting organisations in the charitable sector and education sector. We have been involved with around 100 schools and academies and assisted in the main areas which will be required under the Free Schools programme – governance, land, employment and funding. We work with organisations from an early stage in the development of proposals to fully understand their ambitions and sit alongside them to make their visions a reality. We go beyond what other firms may offer in that our work with communities to empower themselves has allowed us to develop skills to support organisations in those communities – so we would be able to assist in assessing need in communities and developing ideas with clear inputs from the communities.
Our offer is based on support from the start of your proposal through to the day to day operation of the school. We appreciate that you need different levels of support at different times but are looking for affordable dependable support. We provide that together with advice from specialists who are involved in education to ensure your project proceeds as smoothly as possible.
If you would like further details or wish to discuss your proposal with us, please contact Richard Freeth on 0121 214 3710 or via email richard.freeth@anthonycollins.com