Free School FOI Shorts: Parents "whooped" into support for Free School by MP on back of anger at middle schools closing

It has been clear throughout the story of free schools in Suffolk that the proposals to set up completely new 11-16 free schools have been positioned to parents as "saving middle schools". This is because there is much support for saving the middle schools but not that much for new secondary schools.

The email below was sent by Suffolk County Council Assistant Director Sally Rundell reporting on the consultation meeting at Ixworth Middle School. She reports of the free school proposal presented by Matthew Hancock MP that "parents were whooped into this on the back of their anger re the middle school closing not sure they actually realised that this was still going to be the move to the two tier":

From: Sally Rundell
Sent: 14 November 2011 10:40   

To: Simon White; Phil Whiffing 

Subject: Bury/Ixworth meeting

I think safe to say- Challenging!

Inevitably it was the middle school meetings that were going to be tough- Both staff and parent meeting highly charged About 200 parents 

Matthew Hancock positioned his Free School Proposal on the back of the consultation meeting- to which Phil and I were asked to stay on

My view is that parents were whooped into this on the back of their anger re the middle school closing not sure they actually realised that this was still going to be the move to the two tier.

Give you an update on the phone later today

Sally Rundell Assistant Director Learning and Improvement