The free schools programme was established to deliver choice, innovation and higher standards for parents by injecting fresh approaches and drawing in talent and expertise from a wide variety of groups and backgrounds. The department has delivered hundreds of new schools and provided thousands of good school places across the country.<\/p>
<\/p>
The free schools programme continues to encourage innovation, as well as building the capacity of some of the countries\u2019 strongest trusts to raise education standards. In the most recent mainstream wave, the department approved an innovative partnership between Eton College and Star Academies to deliver free schools in Dudley, Oldham and Teesside for pupils aged 16 to 19. These schools will help increase the numbers of disadvantaged students progressing to top universities. The department also approved a new BRIT School North in Bradford, which will be the first of its kind in the region. This school will provide career pathways for creative industries in the North of England and is supported by industry leaders.<\/p>
<\/p>
The department has also committed to delivering a 16-19 mathematics school in every region, with eleven in total. Seven maths schools are already open with the remaining four schools approved to open in the future. These small schools, partnered with the most selective mathematics universities, will prepare some of the most mathematically able students for university and help to address shortages of highly skilled graduates in sectors which depend on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.<\/p>
<\/p>
To open a free school, the provider must establish an academy trust, which is set up as an exempt charity. In the latest mainstream free school wave, the department invited all new providers, including charities, to apply to open a new school. Similarly, in the latest alternative provision free school wave, the department invited applications from partnerships, including charities, alongside academy trusts and local authorities.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3969", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Damian Hinds"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Damian Hinds"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-02-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "12434"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-02-08T13:32:31.707Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Schools: Construction"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage innovation when setting up new schools.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4129", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ian Paisley"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Antrim"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ian Paisley"} ], "uin" : "12433"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1176158", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1176158/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Government recognises the need to work with the<\/ins> civil society sector<\/ins> to establish principles of effective civil society involvement in the policy-making process. My officials have started to scope a programme of work and the details of this will be set out in due course. <\/strong><\/p>"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 23 October 2019 to Question 665, on Third Sector, what further progress his Department has made on establishing a cross-government group.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/422363/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Negotiations on the proposed General Data Protection Regulation are still continuing and our negotiating position has taken into account the likely impact on Government Departments, NDPBs and agencies. Once the outcome of trilogue negotiations between the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the Commission are complete, and the Regulation has been adopted, the liabilities will be further assessed. There will then follow a maximum implementation period of two years. Between now and then, Government departments who will be affected by the Regulation are closely involved in work led by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport to consider the implications of the text as it develops through the negotiating process.<\/p>"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the implementation of the proposed General Data Protection Regulation; which non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and agencies overseen by his Department will be affected by that Regulation; and what estimate he has made of the potential liability of his Department, its agencies and NDPBs in connection with that proposed Regulation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"}
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