How To Start Schools and Influence People

Author and journalist Toby Young turns educationalist

by Toby YoungWednesday, 29 September 2010

It's free: Toby Young introduces his son Freddie to Latin

"You do understand you'll have no editorial control? None. The BBC and Channel 4 are very clear about that. Control will rest solely with the broadcaster. There's absolutely no wiggle room." The speaker was Alan Hayling, editorial director of Renegade Pictures. We were sitting in Soho House and he was one of over 40 television producers who approached me last autumn with a view to making a documentary about my group's efforts to set up a Free School in west London.

A school stands or falls on its reputation and an unsympathetic documentary would be enough to damn a school for all eternity. Why risk it?

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Permalink Submitted by Susan Winson (not verified) on Wed, 29/09/2010 - 18:13

As a primary school headteacher of an outstanding school, I have just finished watching the programme - sadly this only re-iterated my perhaps biased knowledge of free schools. Many questions went unanswered such as the quality of employees, the headteacher, the curriculum, the governing body etc etc/. and my greatest concern is this just another way of middle class parents creating a 'public school' - how sustainable will the school be once their own children have left and moved on to the next phase of their education. As you have mentioned you are only in contact with parents who are either for or against free schools. I am interested in quality of education for all children and therefore remain interested in all types of schools and would be keen to know how you are progressing towards this goal.

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Permalink Submitted by Jackie Gallagher (not verified) on Wed, 29/09/2010 - 18:38

Strange how the primary school headteacher has posted three times! Trying to make a point then? If it's of any interest whatsoever then how is it that my home educated working class daughter obtained three A stars and an A at A levels after I bought her out of the failing state school system at the age of 8 to put her back into a further education college at 16 to sit her A levels? She is now at University, in spite of having very little formal education needing little help by teachers or myself, even by admission of her tutors as she is a self directed learner. Sometimes if something isn't working then there are better ways! Good luck to you and your Team Toby!

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Permalink Submitted by Arnie (not verified) on Wed, 29/09/2010 - 18:52

Don't worry about alan stitching you up. You did that yourself.

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Permalink Submitted by Greg C (not verified) on Tue, 05/10/2010 - 10:04

s this the mailonline.com comments page and I've made a mistake? How is a school which can set its own admissions policy (and thus discriminate), which sucks funding away from mainstream schools and which can be run by anyone some with little or NO education training a good idea? The words being used on here to justify it - such as "elite" (as if thats a good thing) say it all. If greedy and selfish middle class schools want the elitist experience send yr kids to Eton. Leave public funds alone for a COMPREHENSIVE ie free for all schools.

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