PARENTS at a new school in Durham have reacted angrily to criticism, saying the education of children and choice for families should come before political point scoring.
Parents campaigned for three years to open the Durham Free School because it was needed to serve families to the south east of the city and to provide all parents with the option of a secondary school with a Christian ethos, a choice that did not previously exist.
They won support from the government, employers and educationalists and in 2011 it was one of only 20 projects nationally to win backing and financial support from the New Schools Network. The Free School opened in the former Gilesgate Sports College buildings in September.
Parents are angry that the school is now being used as "a political football" and have urged local politicians to visit, to talk to parents and children and find out about how the school is meeting local need.
They say critics have forgotten that parents led the campaign because they felt let down and had less and less real choice.
Children leaving primary schools in the area were reportedly going to up to eight different secondary schools; parents were unhappy over friendships being split, and also felt there should be an inclusive Christian secondary school, other than Roman Catholic, in Durham.
Campaigner Jenny Denning, whose eldest daughter is very happy and has made significant progress in just one term at the school, said: “I have been involved in the project from the beginning and feel passionately about it. As a mother of four living to the south east of the city I know how hard it is for families to find themselves at the bottom of the list when it comes to secondary school places.
“Even more important for me is that, before the free school, there was not, in the whole LEA area, a broadly based and inclusive, traditional Christian secondary school, a choice that would be available if we lived in almost any other county in the UK. This is what I want for my children, and I'm not alone.”
She points to an inspection report on Shincliffe CofE Primary School last year that highlighted parents’ wishes to be able “to continue children’s education in this Christian environment to an older age”.
Leanne Garrick Waters, of Coxhoe, whose son Shane attends the free school, added: "My son has came on leaps and bounds, all thanks to the love and care in this school. They always keep in touch with you to tell you how your child is doing."
Another mum, Helen Constantine, of Spennymoor, said her daughter was smiling again for the first time in four years after being bullied at her previous school.
“She was not herself until she joined the Free School. They have done so much for her, and now she loves school.”
Employer and father Shaun Carter added his voice, saying the local economy had benefited from the school which had, where possible, dealt with local companies.
He said: “This is not only a positive move for the community giving parents more choice for their children’s education and the option of natural progression from primary to secondary school, but is also a very welcome financial boost to local businesses during difficult times.”
Chair of governors of the Free School John Denning says local parents must be listened to and that comments by local MP Roberta Blackman Woods did nothing to promote Durham.
“Our vision has always been for a small, caring school with a family atmosphere and traditional Christian values that can continue the excellent work begun in our local church primary schools,” he said.
Durham MP Roberta Blackman Woods has criticised the government over the cost of free schools.
Mr Denning said funding arrangements per pupil were the same as any other state school. Additional funding was for setting up the school, but Mr Denning said this was modest compared with that of new academies established by the previous government in County Durham - Consett at £43m and North Durham at £30m.
He added: “Mrs Blackman Woods seems to forget that if this money had not been invested in the Free School it would simply have gone elsewhere in the UK. The Free School is not taking away any funding that would otherwise be available for other local schools; it is actually bringing investment into Durham.
“As a local resident, parent and teacher myself I'm disappointed that our MP seems more interested in scoring political points than in genuinely responding to our communities and listening what local people say they want and value.
“We need to move with the times and seize the opportunities we are given to get the best deal for our children and communities. This is what the Free School has done. It's the people, and in particular the children, that matter, not the politics.”
Headteacher Peter Cantley said the campaign to site the school closer to Bowburn and Coxhoe was continuing, but the decision would be made by the Department for Education.
"We have always expressed our gratitude to our landlord, the county council, for leasing part of the Gilesgate buildings to us, but our ultimate aim remains for the Durham Free School to be in the heart of the communities it was established to serve."
The free school opened with 30 children and three full time teachers, and will grow year on year with each new Year 7 intake to a total of 630, including a sixth form.