Much like Marmite, free schools have a knack of dividing opinion.

For some they are the future of education; creative innovators at the forefront of education doing things state schools could simply not consider.

For others, they are rogue schools; free of Government control, local authority accountability and driven by an ideological agenda.

In Brighton and Hove this division is at the heart of party politics.


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Despite huge pressures on school places, the Green Party is unrelenting in their opposition to free schools and academies.

That Nick Clegg has raised doubts over their role only serves to highlight the party’s own concerns.

Meanwhile the Conservatives cut a frustrated figure as they see free schools and academies as a possible solution to the school place squeeze but cannot do anything to bring about the change.

But where does this leave the future of educational provision in the city?

In a bad place argues Patrick Lowe, chairman of governors at Coldean Primary School and chairman at Brighton and Hove Governor Association.

He said: “I think the biggest issue in the city is the present Green administration has not provided any form of vision of where they are going or a solution.

“The Conservative government has come out with these new ideas for free schools and academies but what are the administration going to do if they are not seeing that as a viable option?

Are they really going to carry on until the end of their term hoping that these bulge places are enough?

“It puts large challenges on whatever party is in administration in the next term. It is going to make it very difficult.”

At the heart of the governor’s association is the principle of teamwork and partnership.

Mr Lowe believes this philosophy needs to be applied to the city council in order to make sure solutions are found and steps are taken to ensure the future of education in Brighton and Hove.

He said: “The council has instructed officers to look at it rather than looking for cross party solutions. Our organisation is about partnership and everyone on board in moving forward.

“We want to see more of that from the administration in coming to solutions. What we cannot see at the moment is some sort of collective common ground.”

And this philosophy should not exclude free schools even if they are struggling.

Mr Lowe said: “Each free school and academy is based on its own merits. Some are very good and others poor. Everyone needs to work together. We need to bring those successful free schools in and work together in partnership rather than focus on failures of some schools.”

It would appear a simple solution but there seems no desire to shift the ideologies of the opposing parties, with both re-emphasising their beliefs when they were approached to The Argus.

Sue Shanks, chairwoman of the city’s Children and Young People’s Committee, has laid the blame squarely at the feet of Labour and Conservatives for the “fragmentation of children’s education”.

She said: “Greens oppose the principle of free schools and academies because they take education away from local democratic oversight, they allow interest groups to set curricula, anyone can teach our children without any experience, and they set their own pay and conditions for staff and admissions policies for students.

“To get the best deal for our children, we work very closely with those free schools and academies that have already been established in the city. But the school places problem is not being helped by this and the last government’s policies – not least because they allow specialist schools to open up randomly, and in doing so they are also preventing councils from organising local school places properly.

“Instead we believe the government should reinstate funding and powers for councils, who are best placed to provide new school places. That is the only way all children across the city will have access to a good local school where the curriculum is broad and balanced.”

Across the dispatch box, Andrew Wealls, Conservative spokesman for education, highlights the success of academies such as Portslade Aldridge Academy and the popularity of the Bilingual School.

He said: “These are very exciting times.

“As a politician I am trying to focus attention on value added.

The progress made has been particularly strong.

“I would like to see more free schools and academies come to Brighton and Hove but I am not particularly bothered if current schools convert or not.

“They will see the advantages and disadvantages and it is up to them. I am keen to see things like more innovation in education and that means new schools provided outside of the council.

“The bilingual school is testament to that. It took parent power and a lot of drive from the teachers and parents to get it started up and the city will benefit from that.

“If you have a strong board of governors and a good headteacher then education is what is really important and delivering better attainment for children.

“That is what needs to be focused on. I do not really have much of a problem with schools deviating from the National Curriculum.

We often get complaints about the National Curriculum bringing too many rigidities in education.

I do not think the National Curriculum is the answer to every question.”

Away from the Town Hall the situation is just as divisive.

Mum of two daughters Louise Greenbaum is against free schools and believes more would be if they knew the extent of their autonomy.

She said: “There is a lot wrong with free schools. Top of the list for me is the injustice of them and howthey fit into the education system outside of the control of Local Authorities.

“It is social selection by another name. Funding is being diverted to only help a few.

“This is when state schools are doing a brilliant job under tight budgets.

“I am also concerned about the fact they can hire unqualified teachers and do not have to stick to the national curriculum. I very much agree with Nick Clegg.”

Much has been made of the Deputy Prime Minister’s questioning of these issues at free schools.

But the headteacher at one of the top independent schools in the country believes unqualified teachers should not be a cause for concern, not least because he is one.

Richard Cairns, headteacher at Brighton College, openly admits he has no formal teaching qualification and nor do some 30 of his staff.

But he does not believe this, or deviating from the national curriculum which they can do at the independent school, are bad things.

He said: “I strongly believe that teachers are born not made and I will actively seek out teachers from all walks of life who have the potential to inspire children.

"Once teachers are in the school, they have a reduced teaching timetable to allow them to spend time observing other good teachers and are actively mentored. By the end of the year, they are, in our view, better trained than any PGCE student."

The battle is set to rumble on with neither side flinching.

But with the pressure on school places and provision growing it appears something will need to break or the city’s children could be left with a paucity of options borne from a lack of partnership.