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London Free School
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Location: Kilkie Street / Townmead Road, London, England, United Kingdom.
Phone: +44 20 8144 2444
West London Free School:
The West London Free School is an English free school for girls and boys aged 11 to 18. It was co-founded by Toby Young and opened in 2011.
It is located in Hammersmith in west London and was the first free school of its type in Britain to sign a Funding Agreement with the Secretary of State for Education.
The West London Free School offers children a classical liberal education, that is, it expects every pupil to study a core of academically rigorous subjects, regardless of background or ability, but with plenty of art, music, drama and sport thrown in. On its website it states that it is a school "with high expectations, strong discipline and an academically rigorous curriculum but which is open to all, regardless of income, ability or faith."
History of West London Free School:
In addition to criticism of the free school concept generally, the West London Free School was criticised in The Guardian for hoping to make its permanent site Palingswick House in Hammersmith, a building then occupied by a number of community groups.[8] Hammersmith MP Andy Slaughter added his voice to the criticism, arguing that "local people are against the plans", and stating that the school was "ousting 22 charities and a school for severely disabled children in its rush to open".[9]
In response, Toby Young pointed out that Palingswick House was listed for disposal by Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council long before the West London Free School came into existence and, had the school not subsequently expressed an interest in it, it would likely have been sold off to a property developer and possibly demolished.
Opponents of free schools have also challenged perceived shortcomings in freedom of information access related to the development of free schools including the West London Free School.[10]
Peter Winter, the ex-headmaster of Latymer Upper School, criticised the proposal to base the West London Free School at Palingswick House, a neighbouring property, on the grounds that increased traffic to the area might threaten pupil safety.[11] However, the current head of Latymer Upper School, David Goodhew, has been more supportive.
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