A new UK Government took office on 11 May 2010. As a result the content on this site may not reflect current Government policy.
All statutory guidance and legislation published on this site continues to reflect the current legal position unless indicated otherwise.
To view the new Department for Education website, please go to http://www.education.gov.uk

Free Schools

We are working closely with the Department for Education (DfE) and the New Schools Network (NSN) to progress Free School projects and others coming through the pipeline. An application process for Free Schools which are planning to open in 2012 has also now been established.

We have appointed four firms to provide technical, legal and property advice to Free School proposers as they acquire and adapt buildings for educational use.

We are also responsible for administering and accounting for capital grant paid to the projects.

For more information about Free Schools see the Department for Education website.

Free School Funding Assumptions

The purpose of this document is to provide a guide to high level funding assumptions to assist a Free School Proposer in broadly assessing the level of space and capital funding required in meeting their accommodation needs.

The guidance note itself should not be regarded in any way as a policy guide but merely a field tool in order to assist early preparation of the feasibility of assessing suitable buildings.

Download the Free School Funding Assumptions document here.

Free School Kit

The Free School Kit is an online map browser that allows users to explore potential sites for their new Free School.

Once an area is selected, it plots the location of other schools within a five-mile radius and gathers data such as pupil attainment, the percentage of pupils eligible for Free School Meals, Ofsted ratings and information about surplus places.

You can find the Free School Kit here.