Since the controversial policy was introduced in 2010 by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government, more than 500 free schools have opened, creating 133,000 places. Another 220 are set to open in the next few years.
More than 40 per cent of free schools are in the 30 per cent most deprived communities in the country and 18 per cent of all free schools are dedicated to special needs or alternative provision.
Despite this, the Department for Education wants applications for wave 14 of free schools to come from areas of the country that are "in most need of good new mainstream schools". It hopes to select up to 30 schools.
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