Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the need for a free school in Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke as a result of local secondary schools being over capacity.

Currently, the Department has not received any applications for a free school in Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke.

The Department has received two applications in the current application wave (wave 14) for new secondary schools elsewhere in Stoke-on-Trent local authority.

In addition, we will welcome applications from all areas where there is a need for good quality school places in future free school application waves. The timing of those waves will be confirmed in due course.