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Locking the gates: what causes a free school to close?

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Published on: 06 February 2015

Published by a LexisNexis Local Government expert

Table of contents

What are the possible reasons for a free school having to close?
Is there any element of personal or corporate responsibility for the closure of a free school?
Is there any way of challenging the removal of funding?
What are the legal challenges in unpicking a free school?
What does the closure of a free school mean for the local authority?

Article summary

Local Government analysis: There are now over 250 free schools operating under the government’s initiative for allowing schools to be set up outside local authority control. They are subject to a high level of scrutiny and may face closure if they do not meet the necessary standards and requirements. Graham Shaw, head of the education team at Ward Hadaway, looks at the circumstances in which a free school can be closed and considers the legal implications.

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