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<p>There are 446 open free schools, including 3 that have opened since 1 April 2019.</p><p>The
total number of free schools opened in each academic year since 2016/17 is as follows:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Academic
year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Free schools</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>45</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>47</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>57</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The
department has approved a further 285 applications from groups that we are now working
with to establish free schools. This includes the 22 wave 13 free school applications
that we announced on 14 June 2019. Furthermore, local authorities are currently running
competitions to find academy trusts to establish an additional 37 special free schools
and 2 alternative provision free schools across the country.</p>
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