New Free School Head Explains Mission

Moorlands Free School in Luton is one of 24 Free Schools opening their doors this week.

They are part of the Government’s drive to raise school standards across the country and tackle educational disadvantage and are run by parents and charities.

Free Schools are funded by the Government, but have greater freedoms than local authority run schools.

They are run by teachers, not local councils and have freedom over things like the length of the school day, the curriculum, and how they spend their money.

Moorlands currently has 197 primary school pupils aged 4-11 year olds but hopes to expand to 504 pupils over the next few years.

Dr Andrew Cook, Headteacher at Moorlands Free School told Heart: "Moorlands believes passionately in the mission of Free Schools to tackle educational disadvantage and to offer a lifeline to pupils whose life-chances and educational achievement are compromised by their postcode or family circumstances.

"That is why Moorlands Admissions Policy not only gives first priority to those pupils who are in the care of the local authority and those with special educational needs but uniquely reserves a significant number of places for pupils living in the most deprived areas of the town."