Additional 281 free school bids

There have been 281 bids to open free schools in England in the second round of applications, the Department for Education has said.

It follows 323 applications made in the first round, of which 32 are now being moved forward by officials.

Between 10 and 20 free schools are expected to open in September.

Free schools are schools which are set up by groups of parents, teachers, charities, businesses, universities, trusts, religious and voluntary bodies.

They are funded directly by central government, and are free from the control of local authorities.

The government hopes that about 100 will open next year.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said: “Our critics said it was impossible to open a school in little more than a year. Several will open this September.

“They told us that schools wouldn’t want to become academies. They are converting at a rate of two every school day.

“The rationing of good schools must end. Our reforms are about creating a generation of world-class schools, free from meddling and prescription, that provide more children with the type of education previously reserved for the rich.”

The second round of applications to set up free schools were received by the Department for Education between 17 March and 15 June.

Of the 281 bids, 227 were for mainstream schools, 20 for schools for children with special educational needs, and 34 for alternative provision schools, such as pupil referral units.

Of the 227 mainstream applications, 56% were from local groups, with 18% from independent schools wishing to move into the state sector, and 5% from existing academy schools.

The successful bidders will be announced in September.

Mr Gove is due to give a speech on the free schools programme on Monday, in which he will say there have been some “extremely promising proposals”.

The Department for Education also says that the number of new applications is in line with expectations.

The first application window ran from 18 June 2010 to 11 February of this year.

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