Next Gen News

No schools

new community can be created in the policy of the coalition ... or can they? Lepkowski Dorothy meets a group of parents who have found a way, and I wondered if others could follow

Sixteen heads sitting bent over your desk, working hard, uniforms for children in purple and silver almost perfect for school furniture. The colors were chosen, say the parents, do not conflict with those of any other school in the city.

Any reading

Saints High School opened a free school in September. Over the next five years, its role will increase each year, reaching a capacity of 120 students. It currently has one class of year 3s, learning in a room in a church hall was converted into a classroom with a grant of £ 40,000 transition. With his brilliant displays a whiteboard and interactive wall, could be a typical class in any school in the country.

What exactly

parents want to be. "We are totally apolitical," said Katherine Knight, whose daughter Elizabeth, aged seven, is a student. "We are not interested in ideology or create a unique kind of school, or students away from more attractive. We just wanted a school that teaches the national curriculum, and that our children can go directly from the "babies".

effective groups of parents, community members and teachers who led All Saints has created a community of a bill that many thought that the cause divisions and disrupt the supply of local education. In this area of ??central reading, apparently, did the opposite.

While some schools free of claims of elitism - such as the school of Toby Young free West London, where Latin is compulsory at the age of 14 years - there nothing strange about All Saints. This is a community school for local children.

"It became more difficult to find places for children in kindergarten," says Knight. "The students were scattered throughout the city schools have been places, but leads to friends and even siblings are separated, creating a lot of anguish and grief. Last year, five children did not get a place lower in absolute terms. "

hopes were raised three years ago when a local authority-owned vacant building was in front of the child to school. "We asked the Council to convert the building, but they said they had no money, nor the diocese," said Dorothy Yuille, mother of four, whose daughter Eva, seven years attends to all the saints. "But we said that £ 500,000 would be so high.

"We knew he could afford, but turned to raise funds anyway. Managed to get a mortgage, but, realistically, unless something drastic happened would never have been able to meet payments. "

As the election approached

, and with a little over $ 2,000 in the background, the parents realized that the only way they would through a school policy of the Conservatives' free schools. "We're running out of options," says Knight. "Play Council said they would put the property on the market in a few weeks if we could not find the money."

Currently, the local priest, who was a member of the campaign, met with CfBT Education Foundation, a charitable organization that provides and manages the school independent schools. The meeting was set by the local warden, who worked for the executive director of the charity. I could not have been more appropriate. "This meeting and the results of the election changed everything," said Caballero. "The CfBT is interested in coming on board to help run the school and, because of his views, the advice given to us until November to get a proposal for the free school.

In this case, 16 families have taken that leap of faith, and two days after notification of the place, he was sent to parents, young people of All Saints he gave his approval. Currently, the school director, full-time teacher and an assistant qualified class teaching. More staff will be named as the number of students increases, and will move into the trap of old building, on the road in September, renovated at a cost of about £ 1 million.

Coalition policy dictates that all new schools should be free schools or academies, community schools can not create new ones. But could other parents and community groups to use the model schools free to create a school community through the back door? All new schools will be able to choose how close to working with municipalities and public schools.
critics of the policy of free schools, such as Melissa Benn, have doubts about the schools can promote community cohesion truly free. "You can not blame the parents want the best and to respond to a government that says" this is the best way to get what you want, "she said.

Find best price for : --Parents----Melissa----CfBT----Knight----West----Toby----Reading--