Tag: Toby Young

The government’s free schools policy has come under renewed fire after it emerged that another of its studio schools, set up using millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money, is to close this summer after a brief, troubled existence. The NEU says the latest closures bring the total to 66 new schools launched under the government’s flagship free schools policy that have either closed, partially closed or failed to open at all, at an estimated cost of almost £150m in startup costs and capital funding. Free schools, which include studio schools and university technical colleges (UTCs), are funded by the government; they are free of local authority control and have greater control over how they operate. “Although it trumpets the market as a model for education, no business would continue to throw good money after bad at what is clearly a failed school experiment.” The shadow education secretary, Angela Rayner, said: “The Tories’ education vanity projects simply aren’t working, and every time one of these schools collapse there are hundreds of pupils and staff left facing enormous uncertainty. “Instead of continuing to waste what little extra money they are prepared to invest in schools, the government should end their obsession with free schools and rethink their approach to new school places entirely.” The closure of Plymouth studio school – just three years after opening – will create huge uncertainty for the pupils immediately affected, many of whom are in the middle of GCSE courses, and will add to mounting doubts about the viability of the studio school model. “Since 2010 the government has spent at least £149.6m on the setup costs and capital funding for 66 free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools in England that have either closed, partially closed or failed to open at all. Had this money been invested across the school system, we might not be seeing so many schools sending home begging letters to parents.” Plymouth studio school was set up with a specific sports focus to train sports stars of the future. As well as the usual classrooms and laboratories, the £4.2m building, opened by the school standards minister, Nick Gibb, contains a gym containing the latest fitness equipment including a virtual reality “brain training” NeuroTracker device intended to boost concentration. “A number of studio schools have closed and this is a serious concern. “Studio schools are a part of that and there are many across the country that are providing their pupils with a good mix of academic and vocational education, alongside valuable employability skills.