In a press release today, the Department for Education claims:
“This move brings the total number of free school places created since 2010 to almost a quarter of a million, making this policy the most successful new schools programme in national history with schools being created more quickly than ever before.”
Except….
There are now 412 open or approved free schools. Approved ones will be opened by September 2016. The first ones opened in 2011. That’s a five year period.
Below is a list of how many secondary schools were opened every five years between 1955 and 1985.
As you can see, between 1955 and 1960 the total number of schools went up by 657.
Which is more than 412.
Sorry Camz. You were outclassed by Macmillan.
Laura McInerney is the editor of Schools Week
More dodgy data from the Gov’t. It’s becoming quite a habit.