Another obstacle in the way of free schools

A few weeks ago, I wrote a cover story about how teachers’ unions are trying to strangle the Gove schools agenda at birth. But I fear it is facing an even greater, more immediate threat: basic bungling by government departments.

The FT today says that the Department of Transport wants to make sure that local authorities keep the right to veto a new school. Armed with such a weapon, it is a sure way of crushing any competition. The DoT’s argument is staggeringly banal: that a new school may play havoc with the traffic. If you’re a local authority, wanting to use any means possible to stop a new school competing with the ones you run, it’s all the excuse you need.

The Swedish model (sorry) works because there is a central planning agency which gives permission – and grants it in almost all cases. One major flaw in the Gove plan is that there is no similar agency, clearing the way for new schools.