How to set up a free school in nine steps

Eight years after they were given approval by the last coalition government, there are almost 400 UK free schools open in the UK, with another 316 on the way.

While the success of the independent state-funded schools is still up for debate, the idea of starting one from scratch still holds plenty of appeal for teachers, parents, charities and other community groups. However, many underestimate the amount of commitment and hard work needed to get a free school up and running. 

Here, Cassie Howe, Head of Advisory Services and Outreach at the New Schools Network (NSN), explains how to open one in nine fool-proof steps. 

1. Build a clear vision for your school

At the most basic level, groups need to decide what makes their school distinctive, says Ms Howe. 

"They need to think about what their vision for it is: what is the ethos, what is the culture and what exactly they want to achieve," she explains. "From that point, everything else follows."

It goes without saying that this vision must be wholeheartedly supported by the entire team, she adds.

She points to the King's Leadership Academy in Warrington, a secondary school which focuses on developing character and leadership skills, as an example of a school with a clear vision.  

2. Build a need case

In order to be approved, she says, the proposed school should be located in a target district, which is an area identified by the Department for Education as having lower standards in existing state schools and a lower capacity to improve.

There must also be a basic need for a high proportion of the new places.

"On this point, we recommend that groups speak to the local authority and consult publicly-available information like the DfE school capacity data,"  says Ms Howe.

Groups will also benefit from doing some research on schools within the area to identify underlying issues, she adds. "Think about what the pupil cohort will look like and really understand the local school-improvement strategy."

3. Recruit a team with the right skills

"It can't be stressed enough that good people are absolutely essential to a strong free-school proposal," says Ms Howe. 

"All groups should include people with strong track records in education for the relevant type of school they are trying to set up."

Ideally, this would include some with experience of finance and/or school finance, academy governance and managing projects from scratch.

"One group that did this particularly well is the Reach Academy in Feltham. One of the founders made it a priority to have a sit-down with every headteacher he knew whose school was doing well and ask them to recommend three people they thought would be great for a free school."

4. Design your education plan

You've decided on your vision for the school - and now it's time to think in more practical terms, says Ms Howe.

"What do you want the school to achieve and how do you want to do this? So in the application, you need to describe which pupils you will serve, what education model you will use and whether it is appropriate for the pupils you will be working with.

"This is particularly important if you're proposing a special or alternative-provision free school."

Then there's the question of finding the right staff to turn your vision into reality.

 5. Engage with your community

All applications have to prove not only that the school will be full in the first year of opening but that it's also wanted by the local community, says Ms Howe. 

"This doesn't have to be a very expensive process but we think groups really need to start early. So they need to identify who the key stakeholders in the local area are, who the people are, who could be coming to the school, and how they can reach out to them."

"Thomson House Primary in Richmond is an example of a school which really tapped into its local networks and residents' associations and involved them all the way along the journey," she says.

6. Have a business plan

This is where founders with accountancy skills come in handy.

Crucially, groups must show in their application that the project will be viable once it's open.

"Groups have to provide a financial template to show how they will be "growing" their staff in order to deliver their curriculum as they grow to capacity," says Ms Howe.

7. Identify a site 

While groups in the application stage aren't required to identify a site, the DfE gives preference to projects that identify a local authority or government-owned site or a site available for a peppercorn rent. 

Once the project receives 'pre-opening' approval, the Education, Skills and Funding Agency will help to secure a site. 

8. Work out a pre-opening plan

Although this stage falls outside of the application process, it's always good for groups to start thinking one step ahead, according to Ms Howe.

"So, if the application is approved, who will be there to help deliver this project through the pre-opening stage, bearing in mind that the process can take between 18 months to three years," she says.  

9. Don't be afraid to ask for help

All a bit daunting?  The Department for Education provides funding for the NSN's advice service, so any individual or group who is considering setting up a free school can ask the charity for support in the pre-application stage through to opening. 

"This can help them to develop their application and stress-test their ideas before they submit their application to the Department for Education,"  says Ms Howe.