Responding to Prime Minister David Cameron's announcement yesterday that the Conservatives will build 500 new free schools, Samantha Pancheri, Green Party Spokesperson for Schools, said:
“Cameron’s pledge to open 500 new Free Schools if the Conservatives are re-elected in May demonstrates how out of step the government are with the needs and wishes of people within the education system. At a time when education budgets for state schools are being cut, it is simply appalling for the Conservatives to commit to handing over vast amounts of public money for a scheme which is known to undermine accountability and has a frightening lack of transparency surrounding the approval of applications and allocation of funding.
“The Green Party opposes the opening of Free Schools and will integrate existing ones into Local Authority control – ensuring that school places are allocated fairly and consistently, and protecting local accountability. We believe that local authorities should be free to control their own funding decisions, enabling them to resolve the crisis of primary school places and ensuring that every child has equal access to the best quality education.”