No. Free schools are run on a not-for-profit basis by a charitable Trust. The school will be run by the Headteacher and their leadership team and they will be supported and challenged by their own local governing body and board of directors.
Where will the school be situated?
It is proposed that a brand new, state-of-the-art school building will be located about one mile north of Nuneaton town centre, at the Top Farm housing development off Higham Lane, Weddington.
Why are you proposing to open with only Year 7 classes?
Admissions to the school are taking place where a basic need for places has been identified. When starting a new school we believe that it is really important to nurture the first year and establish the culture of the new school.
Are free schools selective?
No. Free schools have to follow the new admissions code like all state-funded schools. The school will be open for all to attend and this will be enshrined in our admissions policy.
If TFCS opens will that mean less money for the other schools in the area?
No. Funding for free schools will be equivalent to the funding of maintained schools and academies in the same local authority area. The opening of a free school does not mean that the overall funding available in an area goes down. However, the total funding an individual school receives will depend on the number of pupils attending.
Will TFCS be inspected by Ofsted?
Yes. All free schools are subject to inspection in the same way as other academy category schools. The school will also be inspected by Ofsted prior to opening and will be subject to termly visits from the Department for Education during its first year.
Have you chosen a Head for Top Farm Community School?
Should the Trust’s application to the DfE be successful, we would then look to appoint a substantive Headteacher during the pre-opening phase and will be advertising nationally to attract the best candidates.
How will the school be accountable?
The school will be run by a local governing body who will be accountable to the board of directors which oversees the school. In addition, the school will be accountable to the Department for Education through the terms of its Funding Agreement.
How can I apply for a place?
Details of the admissions procedure will be made available on this website.
How will TFCS meet the needs of the local community?
Please complete the short form to help shape our vision for TFCS to the needs and ambitions of the community it will serve.
Help shape our vision, have your say today
Please complete the short form to help shape our vision for Top Farm Community School to the needs and ambitions of the community it will serve.