A CITY head teacher is determined to create a free school despite having his initial application rebuffed by the Government.
Rob Southey, head of The King's School, in the Meadows, will reapply for the status this year.
It would mean places at the fee-paying school would be free.
An application for free school status from September this year was rejected but Mr Southey is confident of success next year.
Free schools are non-profit- making, independent, state- funded schools.
They can be set up by a wide range of groups, including charities, universities, businesses, educational groups, teachers or parents.
Like academies, they will not be under local authority control and will have some additional freedoms, including the right to employ unqualified teachers.
Mr Southey said that one of the reasons his application was rejected was that the Government felt there was not enough demand, although a 900-signature petition was presented in support of the application.
He is calling on more parents to get behind the move.
He said: "We are very keen to obtain free school status. We narrowly missed out to open this September, but we remain determined to be successful second time around."
"One of the principle ways that we can ensure success next time round is to demonstrate local demand for our provision.
"We're particularly keen to hear from parents who would love to send their children to the school but, at the moment, just don't have the financial means to do so.
The King's is a Christian day school for three to 16-year-olds. Parents pay annual fees, though many rely on bursary support. If it was a free school, places would be free. As well as state funding, it would get support from local churches.
Mr Southey said: "We want to be part of the system. An offshoot of that is that parents won't have the financial burden. It will, therefore, make it much easier for them.
"I also believe that, as a free school, the education we are able to provide would be of a much higher standard."
Mr Southey said the application process had been made tougher recently.
Previously, interested groups would be given grants of up to �200,000 to develop detailed plans.
But the Department for Education now makes applicants come up with a business case before the grant is given.
Mr Southey said: "We have got six weeks to get our application in. Basically, they have raised the bar for schools which are applying.
"We will make sure we have a detailed business plan. Hopefully, we will be successful when we find out later in the year."
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