ATL: Free schools are undemocratic and a waste of money

Mary Bousted, Association of Teachers and Lecturers general secretary, hits out at education secretary Michael Gove over 'undemocratic' free schools:

"Michael Gove supports a good local school for all pupils – then makes the astonishing claim that this justifies the establishment of free schools. He cannot know whether this disparate group of sponsors, including many minor faith groups, is capable of providing a good balanced education.

"The free school policy is in fact completely undemocratic and a huge waste of public money, established regardless of need, with contempt for the local community while privileging small sectional interests. The continued refusal of the government to reveal the cost of this policy is also totally unacceptable during a period of repeated cuts in funding for every other school in the country."