The coming schools crisis

Michael Gove’s school reform is being overwhelmed by the surging demand for school places, I argue in my Telegraph column today. When the Education Secretary first draw up his ‘free school’ programme, he said in a Spectator interview that his aim — while radical — was simple. 

‘In your neighbourhood, there will be a new school going out of its way to persuade you to send your children there. It will market itself on being able to generate better results, and it won’t cost you an extra penny’

Choice is only possible when supply outstrips demand. But the latter is growing faster than anyone envisaged a few years ago. The boom in immigration has led to a baby boom: a quarter of those being given a primary school place this week are born to immigrant mothers (full disclosure: my elder son is amongst them).

In London, foreign-born mothers account for half of all births.