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SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016 | EDITION 59

‘Bankrupt Buildings’: Our 4-page special report into the policy that could block fair funding plans Pages 13-16

Three years, £1.9m – and no free school

JOHN DICKENS school postponed opening twice despite pupils @JOHNDICKENSSW accepting offers – the EFA has now said the site is P 10 too small and scrapped the project. A proposed free school has been cancelled three The school’s founders, mostly parents and years after it was given the go-ahead because the business people, have said they are astonished and Moving on: planned site was too small – with £1.9 million questioned the EFA’s ability to manage complicated already spent on it. projects. The Harperbury Free School was given approval Clive Glover, founder and vice-chair of governors, Glenys Stacey by the (DfE) in May 2013 said: “It is frankly scandalous. These government to open the following September in Hertfordshire. officials have clearly been incompetent to say the examines her A former hospital site in Radlett, near Watford, very least.” was proposed as a potential home for the school, A letter from the government to the founders before the Education Funding Agency (EFA) took on said any application would not meet planning laws Ofqual record the negotiations. because the site is in the green belt, adding there But after years of delays – during which the Continued on page 2

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@TeachingLeaders /Teaching-Leaders www.teachingleaders.org.uk/tl-schools 2 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, MAR 4, 2016 EDITION 59 NEWS

£1.9m Herts free school canned three years after approval SCHOOLS WEEK TEAM JOHN DICKENS CONTINUED A letter to the Harperbury Free School Editor: Laura McInerney @JOHNDICKENSSW FROM FRONT founders, seen by Schools Week, said the Head designer: Nicky Phillips school would potentially have to wait until was a “risk that no suitable site can ever be 2018 to open as a planning application was Designer: Russell Hardman found”. likely to end up in a planning inspectorate Designer: Zuleika Testone But Mr Glover said he could not inquiry. understand how the government’s experts The letter – signed by Charlie Lang, Sub editor: Johnny Paige on building schools “could not have known deputy director of the DfE’s free schools Senior reporter: Sophie Scott the site they secured for us was too small. programme, and Gillian Hillier, deputy “They have managed completely to director of free schools at the EFA – Senior reporter: John Dickens destroy the valid aspirations of hundreds described this as the “longest period of time Senior reporter: Freddie Whittaker of local families who desperately want a that a group has been in pre-opening”. local for their children to The government said it was not Reporter: Billy Camden attend,” he added. confident it could put forward an Photographer: Ellis O’Brien It heaps more pressure on Hertfordshire argument that met the “very special County Council, which has said it needs circumstances” needed when applying Cartoonist: Stan Dupp more than 500 additional places to meet to build on green belt land. Lord Nash Financials: Helen Neilly demand by 2022. Many existing schools are described the risk of not securing unable to expand because they are also in the planning permission at the hospital site Victoria Boyle green belt. as significant. Sales manager: Hannah Smith Last week, a proposed free school 10 miles This is not the first time the EFA has away from Harperbury, in Harpenden was wasted money on an inappropriate Sales executive: Wallace Williams also postponed due t