Hot topic: Free schools
Opening ceremony at the West London Free School
Some of the UK’s first 24 ‘free schools’ are in Hammersmith & Fulham, putting the borough right at the front of the push to give parents and teachers more control over children’s education.
Free schools, set up by Education Secretary Michael Gove in 2010, allow any group, from charities to parents and businesses, to start a state school outside local authority control.
What are free schools? Read more»
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Free schools in H&F
Two free schools are now open in Hammersmith & Fulham:
ARK Conway Primary Academy
Backed by ARK Schools, which already runs Burlington Danes Academy in Du Cane Road, working with the North Hammersmith Parent Group on the former Wormholt library site in White City.
The ARK Conway Primary Academy opened on Thursday September 15, 2011.
Visit www.arkconwayprimary.org (opens new window).
The West London Free School
A secondary, non-denominational mixed school.
The West London Free School opened its doors on Wednesday September 7, 2011.
Visit www.westlondonfreeschool.co.uk (opens new window).
Journalist and author, Toby Young, is chairman of the board of governors. He says: “Our aim has been to create the kind of school we’d like our children to go to: one that is non-fee paying and non-selective, but that offers the kind of rigorous academic education that is normally associated with selective schools or high-performing faith schools. The idea is to make this sort of education available to parents of children from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just those who happen to be of a particular faith or who can afford to go private.”
Another school?
In addition to these two free schools, a parents' group has also approached the council and the London Diocesan Board to discuss the possibility of setting up a Church of England boys' secondary school. They intend to seek the views of local parents in order to gauge the level of interest in the proposal.
H&F Council backing
More local children than ever before are being taught in Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F), with the borough being dubbed ‘the most free school friendly council in Britain’. Read the full news story»
H&F Council leader, Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh, said: “One of the major priorities of this council has been the creation of schools of choice. For far too long, too many of our parents preferred to send their children to secondary schools out of our borough.
“That is no longer the case thanks to the huge improvement we have seen in our schools and to the creation of more educational choice. Free schools have been borne out of parent power and we make no bones about doing all we could to help these exciting new projects flourish - we are happy to say that Hammersmith & Fulham is the most free school friendly council in Britain.
“More choice and competition is undoubtedly leading to higher educational standards overall, as shown by the vote of confidence our parents are now giving to local schools. H&F has never been prouder of our schools and never been prouder of the increased choice our parents now have.”
