‘Free schools’ policy breaks the government’s rules on fairness, responsiblity and value for money, says NASUWT
Commenting on the Government’s plans to allow parents, teachers, charities and other groups to apply to set up a ‘free school’, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union, said:
“The Coalition Government’s claim that its policies will need to meet the tests of fairness, responsibility and value for money is being proven false by the plans to establish ‘free schools’ announced today.
“The ‘free schools’ programme will be anything but free. ‘Free schools’ are an unnecessary and costly gamble in educating the country’s children.
“The Government is simply not acting responsibly by not making clear where the money will come from to fund the ‘free schools’ policy. Major education programmes have in the last few weeks been cut or frozen. The public would be right to be concerned that money saved from other education programmes will be used to fund the ‘free schools’ policy.
“The Government’s ‘free schools’ policy will inevitably cost more money to run. They will result in the over provision of school places and increase the costs to the taxpayer at a time when the country can least afford it.
“Evidence from a recent Ipsos Mori public opinion survey confirms that parents do not see any need for ‘free schools’. 96 per cent of parents and the public do not agree with the Government’s ‘free schools’ policy.
“It is time that the Coalition Government started listening and took seriously the overwhelming weight of public opinion opposed to its ‘free schools’ policy.
“The Swedish and American versions of ‘free schools’ have been rightly criticised because they are more costly to run, do not deliver better standards than other well funded schools, and are socially and racially segregated in terms of their admissions.
“It is simply unacceptable and irresponsible for the education of the nation’s children to be determined on the basis of ideological whim rather than sound evidence about what works.”
ENDS
Lena Davies
Journalist
NASUWT
0121 457 6250
lena.davies@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
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