The current thinking is that local authorities would have to assist in the setting up of such a school and if this is the case then it would be competing with all other schools for reduced resources, and I do not think that is right nor is it in the best interests of local children. This government has slashed the BSF programme and now it apparently wants to give money to minority interests to build new schools, probably to reduced building standards. The news yesterday showed some schools in Waltham Forest which were crying out for investment which is now not proceeding and those schools and the children have to put up with decaying conditions.That is unfair and inappropriate, however we have a government which is barking enough to do anything to prove a political point so nothing surprises me.

I dont have anything against parent promotion, just the free school model which will soak up all available funding instead of being spent on the priorities.

This campaign is very impressive but then it is led by journalists and others with connections so thats not surprising either but it does have to be said that its cashing in on the incorrect but headline grabbing premise that there is a crisis of provision ahead and local authorities such as Lewisham just aren't doing enough to provide more places and that providing a brand new school will solve the problem.
I do think that parents need to be aware that this is not necessarily the case and that they should be looking beyond this limited assessment of the situation to more wider and effective solution. Locally there are already proposals being made and negotiations under way to ensure an adequate supply of reception places in the next few years, some of which are undoubtedly of a more mundane nature but likely to be more effective.

The point about Montessori teachers is that they are not recognised by the QTS system. Thats ok in the private schools where teachers dont really have to have a PGCE or equivalent but I do not see how such an approach can be presented as sustainable or desirable to the local community. Montessori may indeed be fine in nurseries or in the private system where the children will probably go on to private secondary schools, so the kids don't have to compete, but unfortunately the world Montessori likes to create within their nurseries, or pretend exists, is not the world that most of of the community will have to live in. We need primary educational provision that enables our children to access and do well in the secondary curriculum so that they in turn can go on to excel at university and beyond.

BTW there are many teachers , Heads, parents and governors out there already who are making a considerable difference! Perhaps the passionate ought to be joining them instead of dismissing them out of hand as was the case earlier.