The Revolution Which Could Challenge Edinburgh's Private Schools

It’s a revolution conceived over lasagne and nibbles.  Frustrated by astronomical private school fees a group of fed up parents had vowed to fight the government, set up their own parent-run schools and promote them via You Tube.

Two months ago Toby Young (the writer) and the frustrated parents decided they’d had enough of high fees, confusing state-school catchment areas and oversized classes.  Their revolutionary plans have been championed by the Tory party who used them as the basis of the New Schools Network Initiative.  If the Tories win the next election they’re committed to establishing up to 3,000 of these Swedish style ‘free schools’.  These are not-for-profit schools set up and managed by parents.

Young – whose visionary father set up the Open University – explained to The Times:

‘I have four young children.  I desperately want to educate them in the state sector, but I know how easily comprehensives can let down some pupils’.

 Young now plans to set up a local school which he hopes will eventually accommodate more than 500 children.  Each pupil would be financed by a Tory government with a grant of around £5000 p.a. Says he: 

‘The meeting wasn’t just the middle-class parents who are terrified of sending little Tristan to the local comp.  I’ll be going out to the local housing estate canvassing for pupils’.