3 February 2010
Evidence for New Schools

Evidence for the impact of new schools demonstrates that, if implemented properly, they can significantly raise academic performance and enhance social mobility.

This note summarises some of the best known studies into new schools – called ‘charter schools’ in America, ‘free schools’ in Sweden, or ‘academies’ in England – and how they have improved education, particularly in poorer areas. All of the studies take into account the prior characteristics or status of students – none are crude comparisons of scores.

1 February 2010
Dissatisfied parents and teachers push for free education outside state system - the Times

Parents have made hundreds of requests for help to create a generation of autonomous state-funded schools. The New Schools Network is helping 350 groups of parents and teachers set up schools, and introducing them to providers who can help turn their plans into a reality.

1 February 2010
First Montessori state school planned - the Independent

The New Schools Network is talking with Montessori about a new state school in a deprived area in London.

27 January 2010
Swedish school provider looks to partner with parent groups in the UK

The New Schools Network has put parents angered by poor standards in state schools in touch with IES who run state schools in Sweden.

23 January 2010
Parents seeking to set up their own schools - the Observer

All over the country, from Bristol to Bedford, Durham to London, groups of parents are planning to set up their own schools – smaller than the schools their councils want to give them, or closer to home, with tougher discipline policies or a different curriculum.

13 January 2010
The Catholic church backs independent state schools.

18 December 2009
Rachel Wolf of the NSN writes on the future role of local councils in education - Localis Policy Platform

Local authorities will not, and should not, disappear. But they must radically rethink their role. They should do it now, not wait for events to overtake them.

17 December 2009
Rachel Wolf writes in Nursery World

An increasing body of international evidence shows that the best way of improving education - particularly for the most deprived - is to give those who cannot access a good local school an alternative. In the US and Sweden, new schools improve standards more quickly than those run by politicians, and in the process push existing schools to do better.

16 December 2009
Families vow to fill education 'void' by setting up their own secondary school - London Evening Standard

Parents fighting to set up their own school in London today called on more families to join their campaign. Seven parents in Wandsworth are trying to establish their own community school amid claims they live in a "black hole" for education.

13 December 2009
Hundreds of parent express interest in setting up "free schools"

The New Schools Network said that 200 parent groups and 100 groups of teachers had expressed an interest in running a school. Rachel Wolf, the founder of the NSN, said: "There is so much latent demand out there. There are all these groups agitating for new schools and suddenly it's a possibility. Parents are looking for organisations to work with to make it possible to run schools. They want to start new schools because they want a particular style of education, or they feel the state provision isn't great and in some areas, like London, there just aren't enough places."

10 December 2009
Planning is key to schools reform – Policy Review Magazine

It will be the planning laws, not schools legislation, that will be the key to the Conservatives’ planned revolution in the education system, with their stated aim of creating 220,000 new school places over the next decade. That is the view of Rachel Wolf, who runs the New Schools Network, which was set up at the end of 2009 to help create new independent, innovative schools within the state sector.

1 December 2009
Parents launch campaign for new Battersea school - Wandsworth Guardian

Four hundred parents have joined a campaign to get a new secondary school built between Wandsworth and Clapham Commons, an idea which has been cautiously welcomed by the council leader.

20 November 2009
Parents go it alone – Yorkshire Evening Post

A group of parents in Kirklees who lost their battle for a new secondary school in their neighbourhood have decided to set up their own with support from the New Schools Network.

20 November 2009
Time to let teachers run the show - Times Educational Supplement

Rachel Wolf, director of the New Schools Network writes in the TES: “The education system in Britain works for many families, and there are a large number of schools that deliver an excellent education. But, unfortunately, the system not only lets down a significant number of families but it limits their ability to do anything about it. We do not need to tear up the whole system - what we need is to reform it by allowing the creation of new schools that will offer more people a second chance, and offer professionals and organisations the opportunity to provide the best education they can.”

14 November 2009
Teachers can start their own schools - Times

Significant numbers of teachers have already been in touch, according to the recently-formed New Schools Network.

Rachel Wolf, its director, said: “Teachers can be the driving force behind new schools, just as they are in America because they have expertise, passion and experience working with pupils from every background, including those from the most deprived areas

02 November 2009
School place cheating ‘a form of theft’ – Channel 4 News

The New Schools Network (NSN) charity, advised by former Blairites, has been launched with a series of YouTube video clips featuring parents dissatisfied with their local schools.

02 November 2009
Swanage parents poised to start own school – Bournemouth Echo

FRUSTRATED parents calling for a secondary school for Swanage say they will move to start their own if the council doesn’t support them. Action group Education Swanage wants The Purbeck School in Wareham to have a second campus in the town.

21 October 2009
New Bristol secondary schools move closer – Bristol Evening Post

Parents in north west Bristol have seen their dream of a new secondary school move a small step closer.

They have teamed up with a new organisation called New Schools Network to investigate the possibility of setting up their own independent state school.

21 October 2009
Sisters: We'll set up our own primary – Evening Standard

Two sisters plan to open a community school in west London after struggling to find suitable primary places for their daughters . . . backed by the New Schools Network

20 October 2009
Parents consider starting school - BBC Radio Bristol

Parents in one part of Bristol are considering starting their own secondary school in response to a lack of places in nearby state schools. The parents, from the Westbury-on-Trym area of the city, are being backed by the charity New Schools Network.

19 October 2009
Parents back plans for independent state schools – Telegraph

Parents back plans for independent state schools Parents are signing up to run their own schools under plans, backed by the Conservatives, for a Swedish-inspired system of independently-run state schools.

19 October 2009
The New Schools Network – Silobreaker

The plan to create up to 3000 'Swedish-style' schools that are run by parents moved a step further with the launch of several YouTube clips of disgruntled parents explaining the rationale behind the New Schools Network.

18 October 2009
New schools born on YouTube – Sunday Times

Disillusioned with inadequate state education parents across the country are planning their own on YouTube

18 October 2009
Angry parents rise up with own schools – Sunday Times

Dozens of parents' groups, prep schools and education chains such as Montessori and Steiner have signed up to Tory plans to introduce a Swedish-inspired system of independent state schools.

The New Schools Network (NSN), advised by former Blairites, is building support so new schools can open quickly if the Tories win power.

18 October 2009
The New Schools Network – National Education Trust

The New Schools Network is an independent charity set up to help create new, independent state schools. It has a particular focus on areas of high inequality, where large numbers of children are currently not getting the education they deserve.

18 October 2009
New Schools Network launches to help create new independent state schools

The network's main focus will be on areas
of high inequality.

The New Schools Network will:

Support parents and a range of different organisations to
create new schools.
Advocate policy and legislative changes to allow new schools
to be set up, and publish policy recommendations to all political parties and government.
Act as an advocate for independent state schools, both academies
and new schools.
Build public support for educational change.

Read the full press release >

The New Schools Network is a new organisation to help create new, independent state schools launches today.

The New Schools Network, an independent charity, will focus on reducing inequality in education by helping to create new schools in those areas where children are not currently getting the education they need.

There is a growing cross-party consensus that organisations, including groups of parents, should be allowed to set up state schools outside the existing system administered by Local Education Authorities.

25 September 2009
New plans for schools – Economist

Turning grand education plans into reality will take preparation, speed and ruthlessness.

Since Labour came to power in 1997 proclaiming education its priority, one grand policy after another has foundered. Schools were told to run themselves—but forbidden to do the things that matter most, such as paying good teachers more. Parents were encouraged to choose schools—but with too few attractive ones to choose from, many were rejected by the schools they selected.

The New Schools Network is an independent organisation devoted to improving education.

3 February 2010 Evidence for New Schools

Evidence for the impact of new schools demonstrates that, if implemented properly, they can significantly raise academic performance and enhance social mobility.

1 February 2010 Dissatisfied parents and teachers push for free education outside state system - the Times

Parents have made hundreds of requests for help to create a generation of autonomous state-funded schools. The New Schools Network is helping 350 groups of parents and teachers set up schools, and introducing them to providers who can help turn their plans into a reality.

1 February 2010 First Montessori state school planned - the Independent

The New Schools Network is talking with Montessori about a new state school in a deprived area in London.

27 January 2010 Swedish school provider looks to partner with parent groups in the UK

The New Schools Network has put parents angered by poor standards in state schools in touch with IES who run state schools in Sweden.

23 January 2010 Parents seeking to set up their own schools - the Observer

All over the country, from Bristol to Bedford, Durham to London, groups of parents are planning to set up their own schools – smaller than the schools their councils want to give them, or closer to home, with tougher discipline policies or a different curriculum.

13 January 2010 The Catholic church backs independent state schools.

18 December 2009 Rachel Wolf of the NSN writes on the future role of local councils in education - Localis Policy Platform

Local authorities will not, and should not, disappear. But they must radically rethink their role. They should do it now, not wait for events to overtake them.

17 December 2009 Rachel Wolf writes in Nursery World

16 December 2009 Families vow to fill education 'void' by setting up their own secondary school - London Evening Standard