This is a step by step guide to setting up Facebook advertising. Some free school proposer groups have found this can be a good way to reach a very specific target audience. 

In order for the DfE to approve your application, you need to be able to show that your governing body will have the necessary skills and expertise required to set up a free school. This is a simple tool you can use to help determine the areas where you need to recruit additional people to your team.

Section D3 is where you outline the staffing structure that will deliver your eduacation plan, and describe your strategies for managing any reductions in funding whilst maintaining the quality of your offer. This resource provides some examples and advice specific to AP applicants.

This guide is intended to support free school groups with their approach to marketing and communications. 

If a school is going to be successful, it will need to be able to rely on a strong governance structure and a dedicated team of engaged and skilled people. Here we look in more detail about the role of school governors. We set out what is expected of governors, describe how their roles change as these schools are established and offer advice on who you should seek to appoint to the role.

This guidance explains how to set up a company limited by guarantee (CLG), which you will need to do as part of your application to open a free school. The company limited by guarantee will act as the legal body through which your group will apply to open the free school and eventually sign a funding agreement with the Secretary of State when final approval has been given for your free school to open. This document also discusses some of the important issues your group will need to consider as part of setting up the CLG.

All applicants are required to complete a finance plan demonstrating how the budget is intended to operate at their proposed school. This guidance provides an overview of some of the key considerations for groups propoising alternative provision free schools. 

These sections of your free school application look at the range of skills, experience and capacity of your team members. This resource offers guidance on how to complete sections F1 and F2  of the application to meet the DfE’s criteria effectively. It also discusses the range of skill sets required on your team and how to outline an effective narrative on managing this project.

Your overarching vision for the free school will form the basis for all other decisions about your school – from your education plan, to your staffing structure and financial template. This document explains more about how to construct your vision.