High-rated schools urged to branch out

a campaigning charity is encouraging Oldham’s best schools to open new free schools.


The controversial move has come in the wake of the 84-page Oldham Education and Skills Commission report by former Education Secretary Estelle Morris — published last week — into the state of Oldham’s education system.

Among other targets the report envisions a “self-improving” education system in Oldham, in which schools, colleges and interested parties work in partnership to build the results of all schools.

Now the New Schools Network — a charity aiming for improvements by the opening of free schools — says it has written to the “best schools in Oldham”, to ask them to consider starting their own free schools - funded by the Government but not controlled by the local authority.

The New Schools Network says as well as a standards issue, Oldham faces a places squeeze, with 2,000 new school places needed in the next five years.

Nick Timothy, director of the New Schools Network, said: “The Oldham Education and Skills Commission is right to put schools at the heart of addressing these issues, and we hope that the best schools across the town will consider expanding their excellent provision by establishing their own free schools.

“Only by creating more new schools can we address the twin challenge of meeting rising demand for school places and improving educational standards.”