New NFER research suggests secondary free schools have had a positive impact on pupil outcomes

A new report suggests the free schools programme in England has generally had positive impacts on pupil outcomes at secondary, including GCSE and A-Level attainment, secondary school absence and university enrolment.    

Free schools are all-ability schools, launched as new establishments, that were originally introduced in 2010 by the former coalition government. While the priorities of the programme have evolved over time, they were first introduced to foster innovation and choice in education. 

As of January 2025, 530 mainstream primary and secondary free schools were open, educating over 250,000 pupils. In addition, there are just over 200 special, alternative provision and 16-19 free schools. 

This research, conducted by NFER in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, and funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)* evaluates the impact of secondary free schools on pupil outcomes, including for those living in the most deprived areas. 

The analysis estimates that a pupil enrolled at a secondary free school was 4.6 percentage points more likely to be awarded five GCSEs graded 9-4/A*-C (including English and Maths) compared to their siblings enrolled at other types of schools before there was a free school in their area. 

This represents a large positive effect: it is equivalent to an average pupil's likelihood of achieving this threshold increasing from 56.5 per cent to 61.1 per cent as a result of attending a free school. A comparable pattern was found for pupils living in deprived areas. 

It also reveals that the estimated absence rate of a pupil enrolled at a free school during KS4 was 0.7 percentage points lower than their siblings enrolled at other types of schools. This represents a large reduction in absence rate: it is equivalent to an average pupil's absence rate falling from 7.2 per cent to 6.5 per cent as a result of attending a free school. This finding was similar for KS3 pupils (albeit magnitudes were smaller) and for pupils living in the most deprived areas. 

Commenting on the research, Jenna Julius, Research Director at the NFER, said: 

“This report provides valuable evidence that secondary free schools can make a positive difference to pupil outcomes – including those from deprived areas. 

“Demographic trends mean it is unlikely there will be a need for many new secondary free schools in the near future. Further research would help understand why secondary free schools have shown some success – and to identify whether any lessons from the programme can be applied to supporting the outcomes of pupils in economically disadvantaged areas.” 

Dr William Cook, Reader in Evaluation and Policy Analysis at Manchester Metropolitan University, said:  

“The introduction of free schools was a major innovation in education, and this report highlights evidence that they can make a difference to educational outcomes for young people. Further research to understand whether certain schools in particular were behind these improved outcomes could inform approaches that may also benefit pupils not attending free schools.” 

Further findings show: 

• Secondary analysis using a different methodology considered the impact of free schools on all pupils living in a secondary free school catchment area (attending both free schools and non-free schools). The findings from this approach were not conclusive. 

• The study estimates a pupil enrolled at a secondary free school was 3.5 percentage points more likely to be taking at least one A-level compared to their siblings enrolled at other types of schools. This is equivalent to an average pupil's likelihood of enrolling in an A-level increasing from 40.5 per cent to 44.0 per cent as a result of attending a free school. This finding was similar for pupils living in the most deprived areas. 

• A secondary free school pupil is 2.3 percentage points more likely to enrol at university compared to their siblings – although there is a wide range of uncertainty around this estimate. This finding was not observed for pupils from the most deprived areas, nor for pupils enrolling at a Russell Group university.  

• The secondary free schools programme had no negative or positive impact on pupil suspensions. 

NOTES TO EDITORS

*The free schools project is one of 17 being funded by UKRI aimed at ensuring everyone in the UK has a path to economic success and personal wellbeing, regardless of where they live.