Proposals for “elite” 16-19 free schools run by Eton College and Star Academies could be stopped in their tracks amid a “value for money” review announced today by the education secretary.
Department for Education officials have been asked to look at 44 centrally delivered mainstream free schools in the pipeline.
This will only cover free school projects approved by central government, not those delivered through competitions run by councils – which are usually determined by local needs.
Officials will speak to trusts and councils about whether the new schools should now open, with assessments based on whether they meet a need for places in the local area.
They will also look at whether the schools would provide a “distinctive curriculum” and if they will have “any impact on existing local providers”.
However, the government would not immediately provide a list of affected projects.
Eton College free school plans likely under review
The list could include some high-profile projects.
Three “elite” sixth forms in Dudley, Teesside and Oldham, proposed by Eton College and Star Academies, were given the green light under the previous government.
College leaders questioned the value for money of the proposals at the time, saying there were already high-quality options available to young people locally.
However, Eton College was planning to pump £1 million per year into each of its new sixth forms, equivalent to a roughly £2,000 per-student top-up.
Meanwhile, a northern version of the Brit School, which has nurtured performers such as Adele and Amy Winehouse, was also given permission to open in Bradford.
The new Brit School proposal was among several challenged last year by the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges, claiming they would “destabilise” 16-19 provision in the area and create unnecessary funding and staffing challenges locally.
‘Poor value for money’
Free schools under threat will be written to. Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said “more detail on schools in scope of the review will be provided in due course.”
Phillipson said: “Under the last administration, substantial funds were allocated to the free schools programme, often resulting in surpluses in school capacity.”
“Not only is this poor value for money, the oversupply of places can be detrimental to the other, more established schools in that area – who might lose pupils, as well as teachers, to their new competitor.”
Phillipson added: “Meanwhile, in the fourteen years since the cancellation of the Building Schools for the Future programme, some of this funding could have been put to better use improving the deteriorating condition of our existing schools and colleges.
“We do not underestimate the scale of the challenge that we have inherited and this will not be a quick fix.”
Signalling the end of the original free school programme set up by the Conservatives – based on delivering innovative schools, as opposed to just meeting demand for places – Phillipson said her government will “continue to open new schools where they are needed”.
This comes amid reported shortages in some areas of lower-level course places for school leavers and rising numbers of 16 to 18 year olds not in employment, education or training.
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “As demographics change, it does seem sensible to keep major projects such as the building of new schools under review.
“The current system of opening a new school is complicated and draws a lot of resources from both local authorities and academy trusts. It would be beneficial to develop a new system that is less complicated and focused on the areas where new schools are most needed.”
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