heathclif the OECD criticism of Sweden's schools went beyond methodology - it's reported in The Guardian as the need to take 'action to limit parents’ and pupils’ right to choose' :
'Schools began to compete no longer on delivering superior quality but on offering shiny school buildings in shopping centres, and I think that’s the issue we are really seeing.'
The report calls for 'higher salaries, better training, and tougher entry requirements for the teaching profession' and a more rigorous inspection regime.
Bellevue Place is offering essentially what Kunskappskolan offered in Sweden - a profit-led provider, non-standard buildings (I.e. office blocks), focus on delivery of lessons using IT, 'choice' in areas where that might impact existing provision.
The private school model does not work in the state sector because what you consider the advantages of a private offering - smaller class sizes, facilities, specialist arts or language teaching, selection by ability - are simply not available, sustainable or funded by state sector budgets, in view of the curriculum priorities and testing requirements. On top of that, they rely on teachers already trained/experienced thanks to the state sector but do not provide that level of professional accreditation themselves, so they are not giving back. Results are much less transparent in the private sector here because there are no SATS so the variability of that offering is covered up - it works by word of mouth, so unless Ofsted comes along, as in the case of Hill House, parents have no idea how good the school is.
GEMS has this 'no frills' approach that would work within state school budgets, but it has clearly not appealed in the UK private sector because it has had to close nearly all its prep schools. It had no 'excellence' or 'specialist' USP to offer as an alternative. In developing countries it has some ultra luxury schools (Kenya) where they did not exist, but otherwise works in captive markets where there are many ex-pats who can't access other schools, or where the infrastructure is very underdeveloped.
Most of the free school failures have been private school converters - I can give you a list, but those that have improved have often had LA help. IES Breckland was a Swedish for-profit school on a much more traditional model, opened by the GEMS manager in her former job. It was judged inadequate.
LProsser have wondered that myself about Cllr Morris. The examples I know of are recent, so there's definitely a lot of support within the school.
I notice Deer Park hasn't even got a logo (on its report anyway) compared to other schools. Perhaps it won't last long enough. Or with its intention to have another go at Ryde House, it might want to rebadge itself.