Free schools model sparks interest of the Premier League
Joe Lepper
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Football's Premier League has emerged as a possible manager of schools through the government's free schools agenda.
The organisation, which represents the 20 football clubs that play in the English Premier League, is looking at ways latest government education policy can be used to improve clubs’ academies.
Among the policies to interest the Premier League is the free schools agenda, under which community groups and businesses can apply to set up their own schools.
A spokesman for the Premier League said: "I want to stress that we are not at the stage of applying to open our own schools. But there have been recent developments in education to make the system more flexible that we want to look into and see what opportunities there are for us."
The move comes amid a debate about English football’s youth policies following England’s dire performance in the World Cup. On average, academy players with football clubs spend around five hours a week with a football coach, about a third of the time of players from other European countries.
Free schools will have the same legal status as academies, with school managers given greater freedom over pay and conditions for staff, their budget and the curriculum.
Among the policies to interest the Premier League is the free schools agenda, under which community groups and businesses can apply to set up their own schools.
A spokesman for the Premier League said: "I want to stress that we are not at the stage of applying to open our own schools. But there have been recent developments in education to make the system more flexible that we want to look into and see what opportunities there are for us."
The move comes amid a debate about English football’s youth policies following England’s dire performance in the World Cup. On average, academy players with football clubs spend around five hours a week with a football coach, about a third of the time of players from other European countries.
Free schools will have the same legal status as academies, with school managers given greater freedom over pay and conditions for staff, their budget and the curriculum.
