Apply to open a special free school
The process you need to follow to apply to set up a new special free school.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This guidance sets out the process for proposer groups applying to set up a new special free school. Applicants should:
- read the guidance on how to apply to open a special free school
- read your chosen local authority’s school specification and contextual information
- complete the expression of interest form between 13 May and 31 May 2024 and send this form to fs.applications@education.gov.uk
- complete the application forms you receive after completing the expression of interest
- submit the completed application forms to fs.applications@education.gov.uk between 10 June and 19 July 2024
A list of approved trusts from the previous application round that closed on 31 August 2023 is available.
Last updated
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Updated 'Local authority specifications' for East Riding of Yorkshire, Harrow, Surrey, and Westmorland & Furness.
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Updated 'Local authority specifications' to add additional information for 'Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole'. A link has been added for information about the local context for 'Isle of Wight'.
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Updated for the next wave of special free schools applications.
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Updated to reflect that applications to set up a special free school are closed.
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Updated 'Local authority specifications' to change the age range to 4 to 16 for Wiltshire.
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Changed the capacity of both Wokingham schools from 100 to 120 in the 'Local authority specifications'.
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Updated the number of places and age range for Hampshire in 'Local authority specifications'.
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Added guidance on how to apply to open a special free school, with local authority specifications. Proposer groups have until 16 June 2023 to complete the pre-registration form.
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Updated the page details to include a link to the list of successful local authorities applications for the 2022 special free schools wave.
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Updated to reflect that applications closed at midday on 21 October 2022.
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Removed the link to the pre-registration form as it closed on 11 July and added the deadline for submitting completed applications. Updated the key dates section in 'How to apply to set up a special free school (for local authorities)' to reflect the extended deadlines for stage 2.
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Added guidance and a link to a pre-registration for local authorities to apply for a new special free school in their area. We have also added guidance for proposer groups applying to run the new pre-approved special free school in Bury.
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Added link to the competition for special free schools in Bromley and amended the deadline for applications to the Bromley competition to 13 November 2020.
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Added application guidance and forms to apply to open special free schools in Bromley and Shropshire.
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Applications have now closed.
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Added links to each local authority's specification.
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Added guidance and application forms for proposer groups applying to open and run a special or alternative provision free school.
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Removed the reference to the number of bids we will approve, following the announcement yesterday that we will no longer cap the number of bids.
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Added 'Specification for special or alternative provision free school bids' and 'Form for special or alternative provision free school bids'.
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Updated the guidance and criteria document and removed old forms and guidance.
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Added application forms and assessment criteria for wave 12.
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Updated assessment criteria and application forms.
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Updated documents with wave 10 information.
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Documents updated in preparation for Wave 9 applications.
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Updated 'Special free school application form: sections C to F'.
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Added updated 'Special free school application form: sections C to F'.
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Updated downloads for sections A,B,H and C F
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Updated 'Special free school application: criteria for assessment' document.
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Added financial template to help groups opening a special free school plan their budget.
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Updated with wave 8 information.
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Updated documents for wave 7 application.
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First published.