“Tories’ free schools programme has failed to deliver value for money or improvement in standards”

Responding to National Education Union analysis of the Conservative’s free schools policy that shows over £300 million has been spent on failed free schools, Angela Rayner, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said:

“The evidence is now clear that the Conservatives’ free schools programme has failed to deliver either value for money or any improvement in education standards.

“Yet hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money has been sunk into this vanity project in a desperate attempt to spare the blushes of Tory ministers, even while existing schools are crumbling and local councils are prevented from providing places where they are needed. 

“Labour will end the waste and invest in a new generation of schools built to the best possible standard, ensuring that every child has a good school place.”