Free schools

[RangeTesKopeks]

Posting on behalf of a friend (and also out of curiosity).

Friend has the opportunity to send her DC to a pretty good free school near where she lives.

She likes the school itself, but is unsure about free schools in general for a few reasons: they don't have to teach the National Curriculum, can employ unqualified teachers and she thinks that, ultimately, it is difficult to judge their performance as they've only been around for less than seven years (since just after the 2010 election). I agree with the last point and, personally, am a bit concerned that they don't have to teach the National Curriculum or employ qualified teachers.

AIBU to ask you your views on free schools please?

they can be years ahead of LEA schools, they can be a lot stricter, and can expel disruptive students a lot more easily. Can be a much better environment. I don't know very many though, so I don't know how representative my experience is.

There's no difference between free schools and academies. They don't have to teach the curriculum but they're judged on their results just like everyone else so it's not in their interests not to teach it!

Having had a horrific experience with an academy I'd NEVER send a child of mine to a free school as I think they are even less under an LA control.

The we can do what the fuck we like attitude nearly killed my ds.

Does that free school employ unqualified teachers, teach the national curriculum, have good Ofsted/KS1 SATs? All faith schools are different, all non denomination schools are different etc. Ultimately though there isn't much choice so it depends what the other local options are and whether they are better or worse than the Free School.

Thanks everyone for your replies :)

Pengggwn do you mind me asking why?

user thanks - that's good to hear that they can be so far ahead and do very well.

Meat that's a good point, thanks.

youarenot I'm so sorry to hear about your DS :( how is he doing now?

shouldwestay that's a good point - I'll try and find out as much as I can. Thanks.

I think she needs to look at the school and judge it.
You can't tell from the funding method how good a school is going to be.

There are good and bad independent schools
There are good and bad grammar schools
There are good and bad academies
There are good and bad LA controlled schools

There will also be good and bad free schools.

Private schools don't have to either, many seem to like them.

Many of those points also apply to academies Pengggwn and around here virtually every secondary school is an academy.

I would imagine that they vary as much as any school. Some will be awful and others the bees knees.

I went to one on supply and it was such a strange experience. They had every resource in the world. It was like being in a school on a film set. But nobody mentioned the children at all. Not the hipster on reception who 'checked me in'. Not the woman who was with the class when I arrived. Not the dinner lady who handed me an ipad for the lunch choices of the dc.

Wow Savoy! 😲 That does sound unusual. Was it a primary or secondary school (if you don't mind me asking?) Were the children allowed to use iPads during the lessons too?

Does anyone have any good things to say about free schools?

do you consider oversight from an academy chain to be a healthy thing?

They weren't on iPads when I was there but I'd be astonished if there wasn't a bang up to date whole class set. There was clearly plenty of money swilling around.

Both my eldest dc attend our local free school, we even moved house to make sure that they got in as it is heavily oversubscribed.
Ds's grades went from being well under target in primary school to at or above target in the free school, his learning has excelled so much and he has been given so much help to catch up with his peers in class.
My dd is on target to get top grades in GCSEs and she is a wellbeing ambassador who looks after all the younger children in he school.

Yes the teachers seem a bit "hip" but they are utterly brilliant with the kids and they make sure the kids actually want to come to school.

I really don't have anything but praise for our free school, it is a million times better than the local comps nearby who are all failing and have awful reputations.

That's so positive to hear DarkMoon - thanks :)