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4 September 2011
Last updated at 22:39 ET
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has ruled out profit as a motive for running England's free schools as more than half open their gates this week.
In a speech on Monday he will say he would never allow them to become "the preserve of the privileged few".
Conservative Education Secretary Michael Gove has told the BBC only that profit is not needed "at the moment".
Liberal Democrat activists voted against free schools last year over concerns they were socially divisive.
In his speech aimed at reassuring Lib Dem sceptics the schools will improve social mobility, Mr Clegg will say he is confident they would give "fairer chances" to children from the most deprived backgrounds.
'Risks' He will admit they were "controversial with many" and came with "risks" but will also say they will improve standards and integration.
"To anyone worried that, by expanding the mix of providers in our education system, we are inching towards inserting the profit motive into our school system, again, let me reassure you," he will say.
"Yes to greater diversity; yes to more choice for parents. But no to running schools for profit, not in our state-funded education sector."
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
In the speech in London, Mr Clegg will add: "They must not be the preserve of the privileged few - creaming off the best pupils while leaving the rest to fend for themselves, causing problems for and draining resources from other nearby schools.
"So let me give you my reassurance - I would never tolerate that."
Mr Clegg will also call on free schools to admit at least the same proportion of free school meal pupils as the local average and open up facilities to the local community.
"Schools prepared to open up their facilities to the whole community will also be further up the queue for government funds," he will say.
The free schools policy, championed by Mr Gove, is seen as a distinctly Tory part of the Coalition Agreement.
Mr Gove has denied he was forced to back down by Mr Clegg after reports he would allow free schools to make profits if the Conservatives formed a government with an overall majority after the next general election.
He told the BBC: "Nick Clegg and I are completely agreed on this. The Conservative election manifesto said that we didn't need to have profit at the moment, Nick doesn't believe that we need to have profit at the moment, and we don't."
Around 24 of the state-funded but semi-independent schools open this term.
The government says free schools will meet parental demand in areas where there are a shortage of places and help drive-up standards by providing competition.
'Completely undemocratic' But critics argue they will take pupils and money from other schools at a time of cut-backs.
Shadow education secretary Andy Burnham said Mr Clegg had been part of a government that had set in place a policy that was "catering for some schools and some children, not all schools and all children".
Free schools do not have to follow the national curriculum, can vary the pay and conditions of teachers, are directly funded by central government and are outside of local authority control.
They have been set up by educational charities, groups of teachers - and in a number of cases, parents.
The average class in an English primary has around 27 pupils but many free schools are promising 24 or fewer.
Teaching unions have opposed the policy, which they say will break up the state education system.
Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: "The free school policy is completely undemocratic and a huge waste of public money, established regardless of need, with contempt for the local community while privileging small sectional interests.
Of the 24 free schools opening this month, nine are faith based or have strong religious ethos, six are parent- or teacher-led and five will be run by trusts already running academies. Four are private schools transferring to the state sector. Some schools fit into more than one group.
Another eight free schools are due to open in 2012 or later.
What do you think about free schools? Have you enrolled your child at a free school? Do you think the schools are "socially divisive"? Send us your comments and experiences.
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In a speech on Monday he will say he would never allow them to become "the preserve of the privileged few".
Conservative Education Secretary Michael Gove has told the BBC only that profit is not needed "at the moment".
Liberal Democrat activists voted against free schools last year over concerns they were socially divisive.
In his speech aimed at reassuring Lib Dem sceptics the schools will improve social mobility, Mr Clegg will say he is confident they would give "fairer chances" to children from the most deprived backgrounds.
'Risks' He will admit they were "controversial with many" and came with "risks" but will also say they will improve standards and integration.
"To anyone worried that, by expanding the mix of providers in our education system, we are inching towards inserting the profit motive into our school system, again, let me reassure you," he will say.
"Yes to greater diversity; yes to more choice for parents. But no to running schools for profit, not in our state-funded education sector."
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
Nick Clegg and I are completely agreed on this”
End Quote
Michael Gove
Education Secretary
In the speech in London, Mr Clegg will add: "They must not be the preserve of the privileged few - creaming off the best pupils while leaving the rest to fend for themselves, causing problems for and draining resources from other nearby schools.
"So let me give you my reassurance - I would never tolerate that."
Mr Clegg will also call on free schools to admit at least the same proportion of free school meal pupils as the local average and open up facilities to the local community.
"Schools prepared to open up their facilities to the whole community will also be further up the queue for government funds," he will say.
The free schools policy, championed by Mr Gove, is seen as a distinctly Tory part of the Coalition Agreement.
Mr Gove has denied he was forced to back down by Mr Clegg after reports he would allow free schools to make profits if the Conservatives formed a government with an overall majority after the next general election.
He told the BBC: "Nick Clegg and I are completely agreed on this. The Conservative election manifesto said that we didn't need to have profit at the moment, Nick doesn't believe that we need to have profit at the moment, and we don't."
Around 24 of the state-funded but semi-independent schools open this term.
The government says free schools will meet parental demand in areas where there are a shortage of places and help drive-up standards by providing competition.
'Completely undemocratic' But critics argue they will take pupils and money from other schools at a time of cut-backs.
Shadow education secretary Andy Burnham said Mr Clegg had been part of a government that had set in place a policy that was "catering for some schools and some children, not all schools and all children".
Free schools do not have to follow the national curriculum, can vary the pay and conditions of teachers, are directly funded by central government and are outside of local authority control.
They have been set up by educational charities, groups of teachers - and in a number of cases, parents.
The average class in an English primary has around 27 pupils but many free schools are promising 24 or fewer.
Teaching unions have opposed the policy, which they say will break up the state education system.
Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: "The free school policy is completely undemocratic and a huge waste of public money, established regardless of need, with contempt for the local community while privileging small sectional interests.
Of the 24 free schools opening this month, nine are faith based or have strong religious ethos, six are parent- or teacher-led and five will be run by trusts already running academies. Four are private schools transferring to the state sector. Some schools fit into more than one group.
Another eight free schools are due to open in 2012 or later.
What do you think about free schools? Have you enrolled your child at a free school? Do you think the schools are "socially divisive"? Send us your comments and experiences.
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