free schools - would you send your child there?

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My DD is in year 5 and we are thinking about secondary schools. There's a new free school opening this September in our area and as its not open yet, there's no way of viewing it and judging its progress.

Is anybody sending or sent their children to a free school and why did they choose that school?

I should say, I'm not in agreement with the opening of the free school and will not send my DD there but I am curious as to why others might do so.

There is a new one bidding locally and its ethos really appeals to me. So, yes, I would consider it if I had children of the right age (which I don't).

The children will be the first intake and go up through the years with no one above them. I imagine that could have some advantages - I have a 55 year old friend who experienced the same herself eons ago, and she really enjoyed it. The school may not have a history but to be honest some of the histories of primaries around here are not particularly good, so I don't see it as much risk, if you don't get a place in a good one, that is.

We are considering it as a possibility in the future. The school is supposed to open in 2013, but doesn't have a site yet which panics me a bit. The proposals look good, and it would solve problems we have at present-there will be wraparound care-something our current school says it does in the prospectus but actually there is only an after school club til 5.45 and no morning provision. The school we are considering will be a joint primary/secondary to which would save a lot of heartache at transfer time.

A free school opened near us last year. I would definitely consider it as it is our nearest non-fee paying school. The next nearest comprehensive has a terrible reputation. Luckily I have a few more years before having to look into the options so my dd may be less of a guinea pig than the children currently there.

My children are already at "Outstanding" secondaries but I would definitely have considered it - had it been an option. I think it would depend on who was behind it, the calibre and history of the head, the curriculum etc. If it was a choice between a free school and an outstanding comp I would probably go with the latter as tried and tested, but I imagine that most free schools are in areas where there aren't many outstanding schools.

Have a read on all the info about the West London Free School. It seems to be going well, although not really my thing.

No, because they will have the absolute right to boot my son out for being disabled/having special needs, and I wouldn't risk his education that way.

Having had a child who totally unexpectedly, halfway through junior school, developed the kind of disability that is very unpopular with schools because it affects their statistics, I would always go for the school with the strongest LEA safeguards.

I'd also be worried about who picks up the pieces if the school folds suddenly for financial reasons (happened to a free school near my parents)- will the LEA be able to suddenly find places?

And what happens if the ethos does not live up to the prospectus (happened with another free school near my parents).

It would depend on the school. I can imagine them being run as fiefdoms, with few safeguards curriculum-wise.

Primary yes!
Secondary is a huge risk, but clearly it could be worth taking if local secondaries are poor.

If they end up lacking the basics thanks to their primary being "free" from the National Curriculum, pupils will be disadvantaged by the time they reach secondary.

I don't think either stage is less risky than the other basically.

A place at a Free School would feel like taking a gamble with my DCs education to me. They are free to do what they want, and change as and when they want. What they say, might be not what you get.

In twenty years time, if established and stable maybe, but definitely not now

It's interesting parents think the National Curriculum is so great!

Had we not moved, then I think my DCs would definitely have gone to one, as it is the only new school in a part of London where there was a large shortfall of secondary places, and scores of children crossing borough boundaries. Their classmates would be the children in the immediate area, from three or four primaries, so there's every reason why it should work.

It is always going to depend on child and circumstances isn't it? It is just a way of extending choice.

If I had a chance of sending my son to the London Academy of Excellence I would do so in a flash. 6th form only, but definitely one to watch.

kes I think I'm the only one who's mentioned the NC. I see it as an entitlement; the bare minimum a child can expect to be taught.

Having had DC at a private school where they boasted that they weren't "restricted" by the National Curriculum, I was horrified to find that DD1 was years behind in maths at age 10 (end of year 5). I gave her a KS2 SATS paper and she got every question wrong. I do agree that it is the bare minimum that you would expect a child to be taught. I can easily see how Free Schools could fail children if there are not checks on the system. DD got into a super selective because she is very able, but if they had tested her on maths she wouldn't have done.

Ladymuck - interesting that you mention London Academy of Excellence. A few year 11 girls from Tiffin Girls' are leaving for the Sixth Form at Kings College School Wimbledon (apparently on scholarships) which I had never previously heard of - I didn't realise they were connected!

KCS have only recently started taking girls, so not surprised that there are inducements.

Think 7 or 8 public schools are all together in LAE, and they have staff just looking at uni admissions, so I think it will be interesting to see its first few years results. Not all free schools are the same in the same way that not all indie schools are the same. Would be bizarre to dismiss a 1st class education just because of the fact that it is free.

We have one opening near us (SW London) this September. I have three friends who are sending their DC there.

My youngest is only 3, so it's not on my radar yet, but by the time she's ready for year 7, the school will have been 'full' for a couple of years, so I'd like to think I'll get a good idea of how it will be.

This school has four particular 'feeders', 3 of which are (and have been for a very long time) Outstanding and I think there's a fairly high percentage of children coming from these schools. One of the primaries is where my older three children went many years ago and, from both the DD's classes, over 70% went to independent schools. A decent secondary is desperately needed in our area. There are a couple, but they are MASSIVELY oversubscribed, and short of having a perch on one of their chimneys, you're pretty fucked if you want you're DC to go to one of them.

Colditz.
Rubbish don't post lies.