Free Schools

(asked on 28th May 2015) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school places have been created through the free school programme.


Answered by
Edward Timpson Portrait
Edward Timpson
This question was answered on 2nd June 2015

When the schools are at full capacity, around (a) 58,000 primary schools places, (b) 104,000 secondary school places and 50,000 places at all-through schools will be created by the free schools that have already opened or that are working towards opening in September 2015 and beyond. Special, 16-19 and alternative provision free schools will provide an additional 15,000 places.

The table below summarises the number of primary, secondary school and all-through places created in each free school application wave. 46,150 primary places (80%) are in areas with a projected shortfall of primary places at the time the free school application was approved.

Application wave

Places created (to nearest 1,000)

Wave 1

13,000

Wave 2

31,000

Wave 3

43,000

Wave 4

45,000

Wave 5

5,000

Wave 6

19,000

Wave 7

20,000

Wave 8

34,000

Reticulating Splines