At least six “elite” sixth forms and a new BRIT School for the north are vying to be among the 15 new free schools in areas in which ministers want to boost standards.
Only one in four of the more than 60 applications for wave 15 of the Department for Education’s free school lottery will be approved.
Among the bids for new elite sixth forms are the three “unashamedly academic” Eton and Star Academies colleges proposed in Dudley, Oldham and Teesside.
The government has committed to opening “a number” of “high-quality, academic-focused” 16 to 19 free schools in education investment areas. (EIAs), regions with the lowest pupil outcomes that have been promised extra support.
