Parents ‘regret school choices’

Researchers for the New Schools Network asked parents for their views on their local schools and say they found “significant dissatisfaction” among parents.

The charity said the figure - 26 per cent - equated to almost 150,000 families in the region that would have chosen a different school.

Yorkshire and the Humber had the highest number of parents in the country who think the range of local schools is not good, at 62 per cent, and more than a third think the standard of schools in their local area is average or worse than elsewhere,

The charity, which was set up to increase the number of independent schools within the state sector, said its survey also showed that 79 per cent of parents in the region would welcome the chance to have a free school set up in their area, and 71 per cent would consider sending their child to a free school if one opened locally.

Natalie Evans, director of the New Schools Network, said: “We know that there is an acute shortage of places in many parts of the country, but this survey confirms that there is also a considerable shortage of good school places full stop. With almost 150,000 families in the region not able to send their child to their school of first choice, we cannot afford to ignore the case for new schools – both in areas where there is a shortfall of places and in areas where what is currently on offer is falling short.”

There are already a number of free schools in the region, including Batley Grammar School in West Yorkshire and the scandal-hit Kings Science Academy in Bradford, which was one of the first free schools to be set up in the country in 2011.

Free schools are state funded but are independent of local authority control. They have the freedom to decide the length of school day and term, curriculum, and how they spend budgets.

The charity said its research gave more strength to the argument for setting up more free schools in the region.

Ms Evans said: “What’s more, with only 52 per cent of parents rating their school as good or very good in Yorkshire and Humber in terms of helping prepare their child for a decent job or a place at university, it is perhaps not surprising that a growing number of families in the area are interested in alternatives, such as free schools.

“There is more work to be done to increase awareness of free schools, but this survey confirms that new schools are proving increasingly popular with parents who, above all, want the best education for their children.

“Free schools receive an average of nearly three applications for every place and are already making a positive difference to education.”