How to Set Up a Free School

In September 2011, one of the most radical and controversial education reforms in the UK became a reality when twenty-four Free Schools - funded by the tax-payer but shaped and run by parents, teachers, charities or even businesses, independently of Local Authority control - opened their gates to students across the country. They are the centrepiece of the coalition government's argument for a 'Big Society' and have provided a key battleground between ideologues on all sides. The crusade on their behalf in the face of fierce opposition has been led by the outspoken journalist Toby Young, whose West London Free School was the first of them all.

In this witty, pithy and practical guide, Young explains step-by-step how he gathered support and saw his vision through, from securing premises, teachers and students to forming a curriculum and fighting off the criticisms and obstacles he faced at every turn. At once an argument and a how-to guide, this timely Penguin Short is the essential manifesto for the Free Schools pioneers and a must-read for supporters and detractors alike.