Applicants proposing to open a free school along with their applications forms, impact assessments and pre-registration inspections notes.

Free schools: applicant information

  1. Free schools: application information for wave 14
    • Transparency data
  2. Free schools: application information for wave 13
    • Transparency data
  3. Free schools: applicant information for wave 12
    • Transparency data
  4. Free schools: applicant information for wave 11
    • Transparency data
  5. Free schools: applicant information for wave 10
    • Transparency data
  6. Free schools: applicant information for wave 9
    • Transparency data
  7. Free schools: applicant information for wave 8
    • Transparency data
  8. Free schools: applicant information for wave 7
    • FOI release
  9. Free schools: applicant information for wave 6
    • FOI release
  10. Free schools: applicant information for wave 5
    • FOI release
  11. Free schools: applicant information for wave 4
    • Transparency data
  12. Free schools: applicant information for wave 3
    • FOI release
  13. Free schools: applicant information for waves 1 and 2
    • FOI release

Approved free school application forms

  1. Approved free school application forms: wave 13
    • Transparency data
  2. Approved free school application forms: wave 12
    • Transparency data
  3. Approved free school application forms: wave 11
    • Transparency data
  4. Approved free school application forms: wave 10
    • Transparency data
  5. Approved free school application forms: wave 9
    • Transparency data
  6. Approved free school application forms: wave 8
    • Transparency data
  7. Approved free school application forms: wave 7
    • Transparency data
  8. Approved free school application forms: wave 6
    • Transparency data
  9. Approved free school application forms: wave 5
    • Transparency data
  10. Approved free school application forms: wave 4
    • Transparency data
  11. Approved free school application forms: wave 3
    • Transparency data
  12. Approved free school application forms: wave 2
    • Transparency data
  13. Approved free school application forms: wave 1
    • Transparency data

Letters to successful free school applicants

  1. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 13
    • Transparency data
  2. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 12
    • Transparency data
  3. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 11
    • Transparency data
  4. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 10
    • Transparency data
  5. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 9
    • Transparency data
  6. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 8
    • Transparency data
  7. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 7
    • Transparency data
  8. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 6
    • Transparency data
  9. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 5
    • Transparency data
  10. Letters sent to successful free school applicants: wave 4
    • Transparency data
  11. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 3
    • Transparency data
  12. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 2
    • Transparency data
  13. Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 1
    • Transparency data

Special and alternative provision free schools: applications

  1. Special and alternative provision free schools: wave 2 letters to successful local authorities
    • Transparency data
  2. Special and alternative provision free schools: wave 2 successful local authority bids
    • Transparency data
  3. Special and alternative provision free schools: local authority bids
    • Transparency data
  4. Special free schools: letters to successful trusts
    • Transparency data
  5. Special free schools: successful applications from trusts
    • Transparency data
  6. Special free schools: letters to successful local authorities
    • Transparency data
  7. Special free schools: local authority expressions of interest
    • Transparency data
  8. Special free schools: local authority interest
    • Transparency data

Impact assessments of open free schools

Assessments of the effect that proposed schools would have on their local area, including how they would affect other schools.

  1. Free schools that opened in 2018: impact assessments
    • Transparency data
  2. Free schools that opened in 2017: impact assessments
    • Transparency data
  3. Free schools that opened in 2016: impact assessments
    • Transparency data
  4. Free schools that opened in 2015: impact assessments
    • Transparency data
  5. Free schools that opened in 2014: impact assessments
    • Transparency data
  6. Free schools that opened in 2013: impact assessments
    • Transparency data
  7. Free schools that opened in 2012: impact assessments
    • Transparency data
  8. Free schools that opened in 2011: impact assessments
    • Transparency data

Ofsted pre-registration inspections of free schools

Ofsted carries out pre-registration inspections under the Education and Skills Act 2008. The outcome of these inspections helps inform the Secretary of State’s decision whether to register a new free school as an independent school.

  1. Pre-registration advice notes for free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges 2018
    • Guidance
  2. Pre-registration advice notes for free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges 2017
    • Guidance
  3. Pre-registration advice notes for free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges 2016
    • Guidance
  4. Pre-registration advice notes for free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges 2015
    • Guidance
  5. Ofsted free schools pre-registration advice notes: 2014
    • Transparency data
  6. Ofsted free schools pre-registration advice notes: 2013
    • FOI release
  7. Ofsted free schools pre-registration advice notes: 2012
    • FOI release
  8. Ofsted free schools pre-registration advice notes: 2011
    • FOI release

Published 18 February 2016
Last updated 11 February 2020 + show all updates

  1. Added ‘Free schools that opened in 2018: impact assessments’.

  2. Added Free schools: application information for wave 14, Approved free school application forms: wave 13, Letters to successful free school applicants: wave 13, Special and alternative provision free schools: wave 2 successful local authority bids and Special and alternative provision free schools: wave 2 letters to successful local authorities.

  3. Added Pre-registration advice notes 2018

  4. Added ‘Free schools: applicant information for wave 13’.

  5. Added application forms and letters for waves 11 and 12. Added special free schools information, applications and letters.

  6. Added ‘Letters to successful free school applicants’ and ‘Approved free school application forms’ for waves 9 and 10 and impact assessments for free schools that opened in 2016 and 2017.

  7. Added ‘Free schools: applicant information for wave 12’.

  8. Added ‘Free schools: applicant information for wave 11’.

  9. First published.

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