‘Pushy parents’ see London lead the way on free schools

 
Anna Davis @_annadavis25 February 2013

Free schools are a “London phenomenon” with the number of groups bidding to open them three times higher in the capital than other parts of the country, according to new analysis.

Research shows there have been three free school applications for every 1,000 16-year-olds in London, compared to under one per 1,000 in the North East.

London has the best results for state schools in the country and experts warned that more needs to be done to ensure free schools are set up in other areas with lower performing schools.

The most successful academy chains, run by the Harris Federation and Ark, are also concentrated in London.

Rick Muir, associate director of the Institute for Public Policy Research, said free schools were a “London phenomenon” and added: “The problem with free school policy is that, because it relies on parental demand, it’s benefiting the parts of the country with the pushiest parents.”

Sean Worth, senior advisor at the Policy Exchange think tank said the government needed to “radically turbocharge“ reforms to increase take-up of free schools around the UK.

The analysis, by the Financial Times, was based on data released by the Department for Education.

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