| StorageSite | UCL Institute of Education |
| Description | Material relating to free schools other than the White Lion Free School.
Folder 1 includes:
- Issue of The New Era, vol. 59, no. 1, February 1978. Includes an article on Delta Free School in Southampton, describing the school, its curriculum, and its informal atmosphere.
- Documents relating to a campaign to set up a free school in Lewisham:
- Flyer produced by a group of parents and teachers, asking for support and giving details of a meeting to take place on 17 September 1987.
- Form to enclose with subscription to become a member of the Lewisham Free School Campaign, along with information about the campaign.
- A circular asking recipients to display the enclosed leaflet/poster to support the campaign.
- Letter to Nigel Wright, enclosing information about the South Villas Comprehensive free school in Camden (later to be known as Freightliners Free School). Dated 1972. Asks Nigel for advice or recommendations about receiving funds for the school. Includes a list of weekly expenses and materials needed by the school, as well as a photocopy of an article by Alison Truefitt about her visit to the school.
- Summary of a weekend conference of the London ad-hoc group of alternative education projects, held on 6-7 July 1974, at the White Lion Street Free School. Discusses the aims of the projects; referrals; links with Local State systems; links with Social Services departments; links with local community; finance; relations with mass media; how the projects work; recommendations and decisions, confirming the name of their group as London Education Alternatives Programme (LEAP). Representatives from a number of different organisations attended, including White Lion Street Free School, Bethnal Green Intermediate Education Centre, Haringey Intermediate Treatment Programme, Albany Alternative Education Project, Talacre Education Project (Camden), Intermediate Treatment Centre (Islington), St George’s Basement Club (Tower Hamlets), Bermondsey Lamp Post, Yorkway School (Islington), Paddington Education Project, North Kensington Alternative Education Project, Vauxhall Alternative Education Project, Hackney Education Project, Kilburn Workshop, Packington Estate Alternative Education Project (Islington), Rosemary House (Peckham), Children’s Rights Workshop.
- Two different editions of an article by a former staff member at Kirkdale School, entitled “An alternative way of schooling: Kirkdale School and White Lion Street Free School”. Outlines the history, principles, and structures of the schools, and the paths chosen by former pupils. Mentions that White Lion Free School now receives full funding from ILEA, and did not have to change the way the school functions.
- Letter sent by the White Lion Free School, regarding the Kirkdale Free School’s forthcoming application to ILEA for funding. The letter expresses support for the application, and mentions how much the ILEA funding helped the White Lion Free School.
- Letter dated 29 April 1984 to a staff member at White Lion Free School, enclosing an article on “Educational Alternatives in London”. The article discusses the two remaining free schools in London, White Lion and Kirkdale, as well as the group Education Otherwise for parents who chose to educate their children at home.
- Leaflet about the Leeds Free School and Community Trust, presenting the case for the establishment of a free school in Leeds.
- Article published by Leeds Alternative Society, proposing the establishment of a free school in Leeds. Outlines the history and principles of free schools. [Two copies]
- Progress report of Barrowfield Community School, Glasgow. Contents include the ideas behind the school; the ideal model for the school; the development of the school; organisation and methods; school population; curriculum; assessment of pupils; community involvement; summary of events January to June 1975; the school’s progress and future. Also featuring an appendix including an extract from school diaries; testimonials from parents and pupils, as well as observations about the school from outside parties; the school’s constitution; the school’s financial statement, showing anticipated flow of funds for year to 31 March 1976.
- Pages from the A. S. Neill Trust Prospectus about Manchester Free School and Leeds Free School. Provides a description of the Manchester Free School, the activities offered, and the practical running of the school; also discusses sources of financial support, and the estimated amount of funds required for the school year September 1979 to July 1980. Outlines the aims of the Leeds Free School, activities provided by the school, and its philosophy of education.
- Letter from Nigel Wright to the Scotland Road Writers’ Workshop, dated 3 September 1986. He asks for the contact details of one of the founders of the Scotland Road Free School, in connection with his research on the history of free schools.
- Pamphlet produced by the Brighton Free School Association, opening the discussion about the establishment of a free school in Brighton.
- Article about the organisation Education Otherwise, dated October 1978. Outlines the aim of the organisation and its need for more resources. Includes a statement of aims and immediate objectives, as agreed in a meeting of September 1978. A note at the bottom of the second page indicates that there were more pages to the article, which were not included in the copy.
- Page with information about the Scotland Road Community Trust, listing its aims and means, as well as the buildings acquired by the Trust.
- Letter asking for the contact details of a former teacher at Forest School, and stating that there is an enclosure of an outline for an article about Kirkdale School (not attached). Dated 3 September 1983.
Folder 2 is RESTRICTED ACCESS. It contains:
- Typed transcript of a discussion with a teacher at the Brighton Free School, 26 August 1986. Includes descriptions of teachers and their qualifications; food served at the school; the backgrounds of the children; weaknesses of the school; reasons why Brighton Free School closed down. Includes handwritten notes at the end. [Two copies. One copy includes handwritten notes at the end. The second copy has a note at the top to Nigel, and annotations made by the interviewee.]
- Typed transcript of an interview with one of the founders of South Villas Comprehensive (later known as Freightliners Free School). Includes brief history of the school and the background of the students. Includes handwritten notes at the end.
- Letter from Nigel Wright to the headteacher of St Paul’s School, Birmingham, dated 30 September 1986. Asks for information about the origins of the school, for his research for his book. Enclosed is a questionnaire about the school, which has been filled out by the headteacher; includes information about the principles behind the founding of the school.
- Information about Vauxhall Free School, which ran from September 1973 to March 1974, from a telephone conversation on 29 October 1986. Describes the founding of the school, the background of the students, and its attempt to get ILEA funding.
- Correspondence between Nigel Wright and the Schools Branch I, Department of Education and Science (DES), dated September-October 1986. Lists which free schools were registered with the DES, the dates of registration, and closure dates of the schools.
- Transcript of a talk with one of the founders of the Scotland Road Free School, 24 September 1986. Includes discussion of the effects of the school on education in Liverpool. [Two copies]
- Letter to one of the founders of the Scotland Road Free School from Nigel Wright, 8 October 1986. Nigel thanks him for the interview, asks for comments on his draft chapter, and asks for details of theses which were written about Scotland Road.
- Letter from Nigel Wright to a former staff member of Scotland Road Free School, dated 21 July 1986, along with reply. Arranges to meet for an interview, and provides contact details for one of the Scotland Road founders.
- Transcript of interview with one of the founders of Kirkdale School, 30 August 1986. Includes handwritten notes at the end, and a letter to Nigel Wright.
- Completed questionnaires sent out by Nigel Wright, for the purpose of his research, to former staff members of various free schools (Kirkdale School, Scotland Road Free School, Brighton Free School, Delta Free School, and Freightliners Free School). Respondents indicated whether various statements reflected their school’s aims and principles.
- Transcript of interview with a former teacher at Delta Free School, 9 September 1986. Briefly discusses other free schools, including Balsall Heath, Leeds Free School, Bronte School, and Monkton Wyld School. Includes discussion of the teacher’s background, the school’s relationship with the LEA, the backgrounds of some of the children, whether the school was a success for the children, the A. S. Neill Trust, the school’s problems, and the social forces which gave rise to free schools. |