Nursery World - Primaries dominate first batch of free schools

Seventeen of the 24 'free schools' which will welcome their first pupils this term are primary schools.

Among these pioneers are a Montessori school, and a school which will offer extended hours to provide 'wraparound' childcare for working parents before and after school and on Saturdays.

There will also be five secondary schools and two 'all age' schools.

But the free schools programme remains controversial and has been criticised by teaching unions and opposition MPs, who are concerned that it will take funding away from other schools and will mainly be used by middle-class families.

The Department for Education said that half of the 24 schools are based in the most deprived 30 per cent of areas in the country.

Education secretary Michael Gove said, 'The most important thing for any parent is to be able to send their child to a good local school, with high standards and strong discipline. That is why we are opening free schools across the country. Too many children are being failed by fundamental flaws in our education system. The weakest schools are concentrated in our poorest towns and cities.'

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