Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the procedure for increasing the previously agreed size of a particular free school.

All schools have a capacity number written into their funding agreement. Should an academy, including a free school, wish to increase their capacity by 30 places or more, they must apply for approval of a physical expansion of the academy premises. This is set out in the ‘significant changes to an existing academy’ guidance.

If they change their admission arrangements at the same time, they must follow the requirements of the ‘school admissions code’.

Both guidance documents are published on gov.uk copies have been attached.