Academy launched by Labour plans expansion with free school

‘Mossbourne two’ would meet demands of parents who beg for a place at academy in east London, says headteacher One of Labour’s first academies – which replaced a school described by the government as the “worst school in Britain” – is planning to take advantage of a flagship Tory policy by opening a free school to cope with demand from parents. Mossbourne academy, in Hackney, east London, wants to set up a free school at which 70% of children would take the “English baccalaureate”, a set of five core academic subjects at GCSE. The move was announced as the education secretary, Michael Gove, confirmed the government had received 281 applications to open free schools from September 2012. These included a proposal from Everton FC to open a school that would use sport to engage children at risk of exclusion. The most recent applications included 20 schools for children with special needs and 65 characterising themselves as faith schools among the applications to open a free school this September. Speaking at the Policy Exchange thinktank in London on Monday, Gove said: “Even when there are places at local schools, they’re not necessarily the type of school places parents are happy with. A choice between two things you don’t want is hardly a choice at all. Free schools offer a genuine alternative – and they have the freedom to be different.” Like academies, free schools can set aside the national curriculum and vary teachers’ pay and conditions; many propose to extend teachers’ hours to give children a longer school day. Gove was accompanied at the speech by Michael Wilshaw, headteacher of Mossbourne, who said his proposal for a new school would answer demands of parents who “buttonholed” him outside the academy pleading for a place for their child. Wilshaw said: “We turn away over 1,000 children every year. It will be a Mossbourne two, in the south of the borough, where provision is not that good, offering a balanced and broad curriculum. Our aim is that 70% will do the English baccalaureate.” Free school groups seeking to open next year praised the “Mossbourne model”, which includes a longer day; in some cases children work until 8pm and have their evening meals at the school. Tom Shinner, a history teacher working on a free school proposal for Greenwich, south London, said: “Like Mossbourne we’ll have high expectations, a ‘no excuses’ approach. There will be an extended day, from 8am to 5.30pm, and a broad range of extra-curricular activities which every single one of our kids will have to take part in: debating, competitive sport, a model United Nations. We’ll have more teachers and fewer non-teaching adults in school, fewer teaching assistants and fewer admin staff.” Edward Fidoe, an education consultant and a member of the team behind a proposed school for Newham, east London, called Newham 21 – which would have Tony Blair’s former speechwriter Peter Hyman as its head – said the school would focus on instilling personal qualities such as leadership and creativity as well as an academic education. The Newham free school is proposingto assess children on their “leadership capability” as well as standard academic tests. Other free school proposals have been aimed at meeting local demand in areas short of places. Kerstyn Comley, a parent involved in a free school proposal for Wapping, east London, said: “There’s a huge shortage of places borough-wide: by 2014 we will be 240 places short. We decided that we had to do something about this as a parents’ group.” The Wapping group advocates an extended school day with compulsory afterschool activities, including setting up a newspaper, playing football and polo classes. Comley said: “It will be quite a small school, with 81 students per year. The schools in Tower Hamlets are all pretty large.” She added: “We’re not political. We just want a school that’s good for our kids.” Like many free school backers, the Wapping group faces a challenge in finding a suitable venue. Comley said: “Where we are is next to the City of London, and if you’re looking at private property it’s City of London prices.” Rachel Wolf, director of the New Schools Network, said her group had been “inundated” with applications. A hundred free schools could be created by 2012, and several hundred by 2015, she said. Free schools Academies Education policy Michael Gove Schools Jeevan Vasagar guardian.co.uk

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