Vix Lowthion, Green Party education spokesperson, has described the announcement today by Damian Hinds of 22 new free schools as a decision based on “ideology not evidence”.
Vix, a secondary school teacher, said: “Free schools have not raised attainment. They have consumed vast financial resources and are not accountable to their local communities. Their creation is driven by ideology, not evidence.
“They are not being put where they are needed, whilst too many of our community schools are bursting at the seams.
“The government must end this privatisation ideology and allow councils to plan for and deliver the educational needs of their communities.”
The announcement came as the failures of the school inspection system were exposed by a report showing that more than 80% of schools that had been top-rated by Ofsted were downgraded on their latest inspection, with inspections being conducted after a hiatus of up to a decade.
Vix said: “The Green Party calls for the focus to be schools cooperating to achieve the best result for every pupil, not competing against each other for league table places.
“We want to abolish Ofsted, replacing it with a truly independent organisation which would monitor standards but also work closely with schools to cooperatively share best practice and support each other.”