MPs criticise government's free school expansion programme

Members of the public accounts select committee said the Department for Education (DfE) is spending "well over the odds" on its plan to create 500 more free schools by 2020.

Free schools are also being set up without regard for local shortages, leaving some with significant spare capacity, said the committee's report into capital funding for schools, which in 2015/16 totalled £4.5bn.

On average the DfE was paying 19 per cent more than the official valuation for free school sites, with 20 sites costing 60 per cent more.

At the same time capital funding is not being used effectively to improve the poor condition of many existing schools, the report said.

"The system for funding new schools and new places in existing schools is increasingly incoherent and too often poor value for money," it states.

The committee also raised concerns that free schools are being set up "in inadequate premises, including many without on-site playgrounds or sports facilities".

"While the department is spending significant funds in creating 500 more free schools, even in areas with no shortage of places, existing schools struggle to live within their budgets and carry out routine maintenance," the report states.

"All this made us question how much of a grip the department really has in providing school places where they are needed. Having enough school places in safe, high-quality buildings in the areas where places are needed is a crucial part of an effective education system.

"Without this, parents may have less choice, pupils may have inconvenient journeys to school and the learning environment may be less effective, putting educational outcomes at risk."

A further 420,000 new school places will be needed to cater for the growing school age population by 2021, but the committee warned that this target may not be met if the government's current focus on expanding free schools continues.

"We are concerned that there is a tension between setting up new free schools and supporting existing schools," the report states.

"Free schools are helping to meet the need for new school places in some areas but are also creating spare capacity elsewhere."

The report adds: "The department indicated that its priority is to meet the government's target of creating 500 more free schools by 2020, but we remain to be convinced that this represents the best use of the limited funds available."

The committee has called on the DfE to work with councils to better understand local demand for school places. MPs also want to see the DfE set out a clear plan by December on how it will strengthen its knowledge about the school estate and where urgent building and maintenance work is required, including the removal of asbestos.

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said she backs the committee's calls for councils to be given a greater say in planning new school places.

"Local authorities are in a catch-22 [situation]," she said.

"They are responsible for providing sufficient school places, but cannot build schools to meet the needs of the rising pupil population in their area. This is a ludicrous position for them to be in."

"The government must get a grip. It must reinstate local authorities into the planning and provision of school places, and demonstrate that funding will be made available to stop school buildings deteriorating further."

Earlier this month the National Union of Teachers (NUT) published research claiming that £138.5m had been spent on 62 free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools that have either closed, partially closed or failed to open at all.

Kevin Courtney, National Union of Teachers general secretary, said: "The NUT has been raising the same concerns about free schools as the public accounts committee report for years.

"The government has wreaked havoc on the education system in England through its pursuit of this policy against all the evidence."