Parents who can’t afford to move into the right catchment area, let alone pay expensive fees, are often desperately worried about the local schools. Teachers are worried about schools too: brilliant teachers who have worked in some of the worst classrooms in the country know they can do better. Charities are longing to work where they’re needed most. That’s why in four months we at the New Schools Network have been contacted by hundreds of parents, teachers and charities who all want to set up new state schools. And their first question is: ‘how do we do it?’
The answer isn’t simple. At the moment it’s very difficult to set up a school. Unless there aren’t enough places for the children in the area, it’s rarely possible. But it doesn’t need to be this way, and we want legislation to change. America, Canada and Sweden are inspiring examples. The new state schools set up there have boosted standards — pupils who would once have been more likely to go to jail than to college are now attending Ivy League universities.
While it’s difficult to set up a new school at the moment, it’s not impossible, and with any luck it’ll be getting much easier soon under plans proposed by the Conservatives. Here are the first few steps to setting up your own school.
1) Make the case. Why do you want a new school? Is there nothing in your area? Are the local schools of poor quality? Are you looking for something which just isn’t offered?
Under current rules you need to show that there aren’t enough places in your area. Put a Freedom of Information request into your local authority — how many pupils are being educated elsewhere? If you want a school with a faith ethos, then you need to show that ethos isn’t catered for. How oversubscribed are the faith schools?
What will your school offer that doesn’t exist? You need to make sure that if you had five minutes to explain to a parent why they should send their child to your school, you could.
2) Get support. You won’t get a school if no one wants to send their child there. And under the current system, you have to convince the local authority that your idea will be popular.
If you want a secondary school, talk to parents at the local primaries. If a primary, talk to nurseries. Post something in your local newsletter, on mumsnet or facebook. Once parents are on board, encourage them to talk to others.
At the moment you need the local authority on side, and it needs to be convinced that there is a lack of places in the area. If legislation changes, it’s still worth trying to enlist the support of your council.
Are there teachers who would be interested in working in or helping to set up your new school? Talk to them. If you are in a city, contact Teach First (the programme for very bright young teachers). Talk to the local independent and state schools.
It’s also worth consulting local employers. Are they worried about skills in the area? Will they pledge support — either lending their name, or giving funding or other help?
3) Have a business plan. It is absolutely essential that your school is financially viable. If you can, get a parent who’s an accountant. Make sure you have worked out funding and staffing.
Local authorities publish budgeting information in something called a ‘Section 52’ return. Find out how much money pupils in your area get.
Staffing is 80 per cent of the cost of a school. Make sure you check your staff plans against your curriculum.
4) Choose your site. You need to be creative. Now you have to use ‘D1’ classified property — schools, libraries, museums. But in Sweden and America groups can use commercial and residential property for schools. Get a couple of people to cycle round looking at unused D1 properties owned by the local authority. Look at premises you could rent — office buildings or unused shops. There’s a fantastic school in America in an old supermarket, and many in Sweden take up two or three floors of an office block.
5) Decide what to teach. Do you want a traditional school with a highly academic curriculum, setting and streaming? Or a school following the Montessori method? Make sure you consult teachers on your curriculum.
And most importantly, get in touch with us if you’d like help. Good luck!
The New Schools Network is a not-for-profit organisation which aims to improve the quality of education by increasing the number of independent schools within the state sector.