If you would like to submit an application to open a Free School in 2013 you should refer to the relevant ‘How to apply’ guidance, forms and financial plan templates.
There are three sets of ‘How to apply’ guidance, application forms and financial plan templates available in the 'Associated resources' section on this page, for;
- mainstream and 16-19 Free Schools
- special Free Schools
- alternative provision Free Schools.
Whichever application form is completed, the relevant financial assessment form should also be completed. These have been revised for this wave of applications. You must not use the forms and guidance from previous years. You must also complete the Section I: Suitability and declarations form and return it in hard copy as instructed on the form - it is the same form no matter which type of Free School you are applying to open.
How to submit your application
The deadline to send applications to the Department is 6pm on Friday, 24 February 2012.
Two hard copies and an electronic copy of the application must be submitted. All applicants must complete and submit the suitability and declarations form, except in the case of some multi-Academy Trusts (see the final page of this article).
The hard copies of application forms should be sent by registered post to:
Free School Applications Team, Department for Education, 3rd Floor, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BT.
The electronic copies should be sent to:
- mainstream: mainstream.fsapplications2013@education.gsi.gov.uk
- special: special.fsapplications2013@education.gsi.gov.uk
- alternative provision: alternativeprovision.fsapplications2013@education.gsi.gov.uk
Applications can be submitted in hard copy and electronically from Monday, 13 February 2012 to reach us by 6:00pm on Friday, 24 February 2012. Applications received before 13 February or after 6:00pm on 24 February will not be considered.
Applications submitted electronically that exceed 10MB (including attachments) will be delayed by the Department's e-mail system – if you can avoid this then we will be able to deal with your application more quickly. If your application exceeds this limit, you may wish to use compression software such as Winzip, or break it into sections and send them in separate emails. Please indicate this in the email title, eg 'FS application xx, 1 of 5'. Please refrain from including photographs, images and logos in your application.
Applications submitted electronically that exceed 20MB (including attachments) will not be allowed through the Department’s firewall. If your application exceeds this limit, you will need to use compression software such as Winzip, or break it into sections and send them in separate emails. Please indicate this in the email title, eg 'FS application xx, 1 of 5'.
Please only contact the Department if you submit an application by 6pm on 24 February and do not receive an acknowledgement of receipt. Do not provide the Department with additional information unless specifically invited to do so.
We will hold interviews from 23 April to 1 June, and will inform applicants about the exact date of their interview in due course.
Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application during the summer.
Contact details
New Schools Network
89 Buckingham Palace Road
London
SW1W 0QL
United Kingdom
Telephone: 020 7537 9208
Website: http://www.newschoolsnetwork.org/
