What we believe

A significant number of parents cannot get their child into a good, local school. For those who cannot pay an enormous mortgage to get into the right catchment area, let alone school fees, options are limited.
 
We believe those parents deserve an alternative. Groups of teachers, parents, organisations and charities should be allowed to set up schools with the freedom to offer what parents want. Headteachers should have the flexibility to do what they think works – whether it’s smaller class sizes, strong discipline, or longer school days

What is the New Schools Network?

The New Schools Network will facilitate the creation of new, independent state schools. Independence within the state sector has been tried and tested in America and Sweden – and to a limited extent, the UK. There is an increasing body of evidence that schools run by parents, charities and independent organisations improve standards more quickly than those run by politicians – and in the process push existing schools to do better.

What are independent state schools?

 England already has some independent state schools – Academies. Like charter schools in America or free schools in Sweden, they are non-selective schools run by someone other than the Government. They receive public funding according to the number of pupils they attract, and they can be (and should be) closed down if they are not performing well.
 
The difference between England and these other countries is that there aren’t very many independent state schools, and the Government controls where and when they are set up. This means a pool of potential providers – teachers, charities, international organisations or even groups of parents – are shut out from the process. However good their plan and vision, whatever their experience, they cannot set up a new school. It also means that bureaucrats decide how many schools are needed, not parents.
 
That should change. There are still too many parents without an adequate choice – who cannot afford to move to the right postcode or pay school fees, and whose only option is to try and ‘play the system’ to go to a good state school.
 
This is unjust. It is not inevitable. 

What we believe

 The New Schools Network wants any group with a vision and a coherent plan to set up a school. If parents choose to send their child to that school, it should receive public money.
 
We are not advocating a full-scale revolution. The majority of state schools are good – many are superb. Few parents would choose to leave those schools, and they will continue to thrive. Nor do we wish to remove accountability – all schools should be expected to get good results for their pupils, regardless of their structure. If a new school is not doing well by its pupils, it should not stay open.
 
However in those areas – overwhelmingly the most deprived – where pupils are not getting the chances of their richer peers, new schools will provide opportunities which do not exist. In areas where the local rural school is being closed down because the local authority believes it cannot afford to keep it open, parents should be given a chance to prove them wrong. And if parents feel that their local school’s approach does not suit their child, they could seek an alternative. 

What should happen?

In England, the Academy movement has produced schools which have transformed standards in the poorest areas in the country. However the process is too centrally planned with too many restrictions and too little accountability.
 
The Network believes:
  • That the most important characteristic of Academies – their independence from political control – should be recognised and enhanced.
  • That new schools should be allowed to set up whenever and wherever there is parental demand. A community should not have to have a failing school before it is allowed a better one.
  • That the pool of providers should be widened. International organisations, new charities, ex-teachers, groups of parents – all should be allowed to set up independent state schools.
  •  Failing Academies should be treated no differently than any other failing school – other providers should be given the opportunity to run that school instead. With freedom comes responsibility. 
New Schools Network
7 Heron Quays
London
E14 4JB
020 7537 9208
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