NASUWT: Free schools likely to heap misery on children

Monday, 5 September 2011 11:35 AM

Patrick Roach, deputy general secretary of the teacher's union NASUWT, brands free schools a costly and unnecessary experiment which will produce misery for children:

"We are on the side of parents and public who are opposed to free schools.

"Free schools are a costly and unnecessary experiment in children's education that provides no guarantees to parents or to children and young people.

"There is no guarantee about the curriculum that will be provided in these schools or that pupils will in future be taught by qualified teachers.

"There is no guarantee that free schools will raise standards of education.

"The evidence from Sweden, the pioneers of free schools, is that these schools often perform worse than other schools.

"Parents are being given fewer rights or redress by this government.

"Free schools will be able to set their own admissions rules meaning local children could be denied places at local schools.

"There are also serious concerns about the lack of transparency around these free schools. The government is spending huge sums of money without proper scrutiny.

"This is bankrolling of the private sector which is likely to produce misery for children."

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