Free Schools

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14692038

24 new free schools will be opening their doors to pupils when the long summer holidays are over.

Are these state funded establishments a good idea or just a waste of money?

The plus side is that some will operate on a more equal teaching year, the long summer break will be ended and the terms equally set out with fortnightly holidays at the end of terms.

The Negative side will be that some will encourage various groups to alienate themselves even further from others.

[Gromit]

Only the middle classes will benefit, but that is nothing new. It will lead to a more fragmented, chaotic and not equal education system. I suspect it will be used by faiths to further their non inclusive teachings, which might be what AOG was alluding to.

On the whole, a very bad idea.

[Zeuhl]

The notion that parents are the best people to run schools is even more foolish than the idea (frequently criticised by Sqad; our own resident retired surgeon) that doctors are the best people to run hospitals.

[Old_Geezer]

The State should fund State schools. Other schools, if permitted, should find their own funding, and prove they give a education at the minimum standard or above without added indoctrination.

[AB Editor]

"I suspect it will be used by faiths to further their non inclusive teachings"

This has been my biggest concern since it was announced. But not just faiths, other equally fragmenting or damaging ideologies could hold dangerous influence.

[anotheoldgit]

AB Editor

/// But not just faiths, other equally fragmenting or damaging ideologies could hold dangerous influence.///

Yes, I don't know if anyone watch the film "The boy in the striped pyjamas"?

Seeing how the young children of that Nazi commandant were indoctrinated by their Nazi tutor, while being given private home tuition, made one think.

[AB Editor]

I missed the beginning last night so I left it until a later date, thought it ought to have my full attention in it's entirety.

It doesn't have to be as extreme as Nazism or any overt political ideology. It could just be a rejection of the fundamental principals of western education.

[anotheoldgit]

AB Editor

/// It doesn't have to be as extreme as Nazism or any overt political ideology. It could just be a rejection of the fundamental principals of western education. ///

So glad you said that Ed.

That thought did pass my mind Ed. but I thought I might be labelled 'Little Englander' or 'Racist' even.

One has to be so careful these days.

[bazwillrun]

Its just another instance of pampering to ethnic minorities, but dressed up and made out as if its to benefit all.

"encourage various groups to alienate themselves even further from others."

it would seem that they dont need encouragement they do a pretty good job of it themselves, they arent interersted in mixing in. they want to make it a home from home and have things changed to suit them and as in most cases they get their way.

[Gromit]

I suspect the main takers of the Free School money will be Christian Schools, closely followed by Jewish and muslim faiths. I do not consider the common denominator will be anti western, but something far worse - anti science.

[AB Editor]

The 16 free schools listed are:

Bedford and Kempston Free School, Bedford
The Childcare Company, Slough
Discovery New School, West Sussex
The Free School Norwich, Norfolk
Haringey Jewish Primary School, Haringey
I-Foundation Primary School, Leicester (Hindu)
King's Science Academy, Bradford
Mill Hill Jewish Primary School, Barnet
Nishkam Education Trust, Birmingham (Sikh)
North Westminster Free School (ARK), Westminster (ARK is an existing academy sponsor)
Priors Marston and Priors Hardwick School, Warwickshire
Rivendale Free School, Hammersmith and Fulham
St. Luke's School, Camden (Anglican)
Stour Valley Community School, Suffolk
West London Free School, Ealing or Hammersmith and Fulham
Wormholt North Hammersmith Free School (ARK), Hammersmith and Fulham (to be known as Burlington Primary Academy)

[AB Editor]

"I do not consider the common denominator will be anti western, but something far worse - anti science."

Sorry, loose version of what I consider the fundamentals to Western education:

Literature/Liberal Arts education strewn throughout everything, Scientific methods applied to many subjects, a questioning of sources and analysis of the question as much as the answer, a weary acceptance of plurality of opinion in humanities, and a healthy squeeze of empiricism and pragmatism.

Serve at room temperature in a dirty pint glass from a slightly surly barman.

[emmie]

AB, not in favour then?

[emmie]

apologies that should of course be AB Ed

[Gromit]

As predicted, several faith schools on that. Christian, Jewish, Sikh, Hindu.

Not sure how reliable that list is, I looked one school on that list because it sounded Christian, Discovery New School and their website does indeed say

// We also have a Christian character in the Anglican tradition. //

Yet it is not labelled as such on the DoE list post by the Ed.

[Euphemia]

I do not feel that these establishments should benefit from state funding.

[Gromit]

AB Editor,

So you would consider Creationist schools that predominate the US to be anti Western?

[Gromit]

Here is a newer list

The full list of 24 schools opening in September 2011:

ALDBOROUGH E-ACT FREE SCHOOL Redbridge
ALL SAINTS JUNIOR SCHOOL Reading
ARK CONWAY PRIMARY ACADEMY Hammersmith & Fulham
ARK ATWOOD PRIMARY ACADEMY Westminster
BATLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL Kirklees
BRADFORD SCIENCE ACADEMY Bradford
BRISTOL FREE SCHOOL Bristol
CANARY WHARF COLLEGE Tower Hamlets
DISCOVERY NEW SCHOOL West Sussex
EDEN PRIMARY SCHOOL Haringey
ETZ CHAIM PRIMARY SCHOOL Barnet
THE FREE SCHOOL, NORWICH Norfolk
KRISHNA-AVANTI PRIMARY SCHOOL Leicester City
LANGLEY HALL PRIMARY ACADEMY Slough
MAHARISHI SCHOOL Lancashire
MOORLANDS SCHOOL Luton
NISHKAM FREE SCHOOL Birmingham
PRIORS FREE SCHOOL Warwickshire
RAINBOW FREE SCHOOL Bradford
SANDBACH SCHOOL Cheshire East
ST LUKE’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL Camden
STOUR VALLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL Suffolk
WEST LONDON FREE SCHOOL Hammersmith & Fulham
WOODPECKER HALL PRIMARY ACADEMY Enfield

We have every fruitcase under the sun represented now...
ETZ CHAIM PRIMARY SCHOOL
KRISHNA-AVANTI PRIMARY SCHOOL
MAHARISHI SCHOOL
NISHKAM FREE SCHOOL
RAINBOW FREE SCHOOL
ST LUKE’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

I firmly believe that faith schools should be self financing and not receive ANY state funding.

[emmie]

Gromit, i believe all faith schools should be banned.

[modeller]

//So you would consider Creationist schools that predominate the US to be anti Western? //
They are anti common sense but the worst part is that they peddle their fairy stories in a way that is akin to brain washing . They don't put it over as an alternative view but rather as the only view. This is true of many faith schools but the Creationists are extreme.

I am not against free schools in principle especially if it helps to solve the problem of getting a school of choice . My 5 year old granddaughter has to go to a school 5 miles away.

I do have one major reservation I don't think they have to use qualified teachers. This use to be the case with private schools 30 years ago and there were some weirdos employed but that was changed and they had to employ recognised qualified teachers.

[AB Editor]

Morning Gromit,

"So you would consider Creationist schools that predominate the US to be anti Western?"

Not "Anti-Western" but in many ways they reject some of the principles which I believe are fundamental to the underlying philosophy of "The West".

I also remind myself that Americans are foreigners, even if I can understand them most of the time. I think it's easy to forget they're actually a completely different cultural branch and that they don't quite fit into the mould. Really we should refer to them as something like "The Far West" in the same way we talk about Japan.

"AB, not in favour then?"

Not really. It feels like a step backwards.

"I do have one major reservation I don't think they have to use qualified teachers. This use to be the case with private schools 30 years ago and there were some weirdos employed but that was changed and they had to employ recognised qualified teachers."

Would be interesting to know if there was any truth to this.

"My 5 year old granddaughter has to go to a school 5 miles away."

Is that too far? I went to school with people who had to cycle 10 miles to get in each morning. I suppose the real measure is: how many schools does she pass on the way?

"I do not feel that these establishments should benefit from state funding."

I agree. Or possibly only after they've proved to be decent schools worth supporting.

(This is non editorially speaking if you couldn't guess!)