THE head of one of York’s leading preparatory schools has addressed a conference of 400 fellow teachers to question the need for free schools.

Andrew Falconer, head teacher of St Olave’s School, also asked for parents to be allowed to pay “top-up fees” to boost their child’s education privately.

As parents in Holgate prepare for a visit from Government inspectors to discuss the idea of a free school in their area, Mr Falconer told delegates at the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS), in London, that there was no need to “reinvent the wheel”.

Mr Falconer, who is chairman of the IAPS this year, said: “Why exactly is our Government investing time and money in free schools when the concept of schools which are independent of Government control already exists? We already provide the excellence and breadth of education that parents crave. Surely widening access to our schools would do so much more than trying to reinvent the wheel?

“In our society we already accept the reality of private health care, with the NHS using private hospitals to deliver some of its services. Why then could a similar process not take place in the education system? Why is this seen as socially unacceptable, a step too far?”

He pointed out that the Government spends £6,000 per child each year on education, and asked why parents should not be able add to this.

He went on: “It is now common practice to charge top-up fees at university and students expect to pay thousands of pounds for their undergraduate degrees. Why then, can we not use top-up fees further down the education ladder?

“Giving parents the choice of making an additional contribution to their £6,000 a year, they would be able to choose any type of school for their child. This would widen access to our sector, give the system the freedom to which our Government aspires and provide a great many more children with the opportunity to benefit from the finest education our country has to offer.”