Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which (a) free schools, (b) studio schools (c) and university technical colleges have closed since 2010; what the cost to the public purse was of each of those closures; and what each of those sites has been used for since each school closure.

As of 27 February 2018, there are 391 open free schools, 35 studio schools and 49 university technical colleges (UTCs), which will provide over 256,000 places when at capacity.

Since 2010, eight free schools, seven UTCs and 16 studio schools have closed. The primary objective of the Department when making a decision to close a school is to ensure the best possible educational outcomes for pupils and to secure value for money for the taxpayer.

The list attached has details on how the sites for those schools have since been used. The Department’s published accounts explain any assets that were written off because they could not be reused or recovered.