Sixty people attending an open meeting to discuss setting up a new free school for 16-19-year-olds in Chester were greeted with a picket line at the door.
Cheshire Free School will be aimed at aspirational and talented students who wish to specialise in the STEM subjects at university level (science, technology, engineering and maths).
But teaching unions who are opposed to the principle of free schools made their voices heard both outside and inside the meeting at the community centre in Hoole.
A key feature of the proposed free school is its enrichment programme to extend and develop students to gain the confidence and experiences to access places at Oxbridge and Russell Group universities or highly competitive courses such as medicine and veterinary science.
The problem based learning course in medicine is just one unique feature of the free school, a course written by one of the core team, which was described and endorsed by a former student now studying medicine at Birmingham University.
There was a lively discussion at the meeting with representatives of the teaching unions NUT and NASUWT mounting a picket line outside and then offering their criticism of the free school movement inside the centre.
Although the planned location of the free school would be in the Chester area for ease of transport, it is envisaged that students would be likely to attend from the wider Cheshire, Flintshire, Halton and even Warrington areas.
Principal designate Annette France said: “We recognise that there is much good practice in the Chester schools and we would like very much to work in partnership with them for the benefit of all students.
“It is also worth noting that the core team comprises experienced and well-qualified educational professionals and we plan to recruit similarly highly qualified and experienced teachers to ensure the quality of provision that students deserve and parents require.”
Prospective students and their parents are invited to register their interest at www.Cheshireschool.org.
