Obstruction overruled

The Spectator’s Schools Revolution conference is being held on Tuesday next week. One of the speakers, Mark Lehain, writes below about his experience setting up a free school. Other speakers include Michael Gove, Michelle Rhee and Barbara Bergstrom, all of whom will take questions from the floor. There are still tickets available: to book, click here.

When I’m asked why I’m setting up a free school, or why I think they’re necessary, I tell a story about a Trades Union Congress meeting on the subject that I went to in December 2010, a few months into our campaign to open a new school in Bedford.

I knew the teachers’ unions were totally opposed to the government’s education reforms, so I wasn’t expecting any enthusiasm — but I was very surprised to hear the TUC give the best reason I’ve ever heard to support the ‘free schools’ policy.

Following the usual welcoming words from the stage there was a Q&A session about educational reform.