Gove fails to win over MP on free school plan

AN MP who held a meeting with Education Secretary Michael Gove last week to discuss his concerns over plans for a free school in South Yorkshire said yesterday that he was disappointed with what he had been told.

John Healey, a former Labour minister who represents Wentworth and the Dearne in the Commons, has repeatedly spoken out about potential problems with a plan to create the Three Valleys Independent Academy in his constituency.

A charitable trust has been set up to explore opening the school in an existing building at Manvers, near Rotherham, under legislation pushed through by Mr Gove shortly after the general election last year.

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Under Tory plans, parents or other community groups can apply to set up a school, which would be funded with public cash but operate independently.

However, concerns have been raised about the effect free schools may have on existing state schools, and Mr Healey has argued that schools in his constituency already have surplus places so extra provision is not needed.

He said yesterday: "Michael Gove seems determined to drive through these schools whether or not there is a strong case for doing so and what the effect could be on local schools.

"In fact Mr Gove told me that a free school application would not be rejected because there are surplus places in other local schools – even though a new school would be likely to exacerbate this problem and mean more schools having to make tough choices like cutting teachers.

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"They are also determined that decision-making will be done in secret. They won't demonstrate the strength of the proposal by publishing so everyone can make up their own minds.

"Millions of pounds of taxpayers' money could be cut from local schools in Rotherham and ploughed into this free school. This is not something which should be done as a private deal."