The National Union of Teachers has said that millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money is being wasted by opening secondary schools in areas that already have a surplus of places. Research carried out by the union found that the Government has approved the opening of 28 secondary “free schools” despite large numbers of spare places nearby. Christine Blower, the general secretary of the NUT, commented: ” Instead of local authorities being funded to address the primary place shortage that is gripping many parts of the country, some councils are instead facing a growing and excessive surplus of unnecessary secondary school places because the Secretary of State has approved new secondary free schools in local areas in which there is demonstrably no need.”

The Daily Telegraph and Yorkshire Post, 2nd April, 2013