The West London Free School is a British Free School

Free school (England)

A Free school is a school in England funded by the taxpayer, non-selective and free to attend but not controlled by local authorities. The concept of free schools is based upon a similar model found in Sweden as well as US charter schools....

 for girls and boys aged 11 to 18. It was co-founded by Toby Young

Toby Young

Toby Young, MA, FRSA is a British journalist and the author of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, the tale of his stint in New York as a contributing editor at Vanity Fair magazine...

 and opened in 2011. As with other Free Schools across the UK, it was set up with the assistance and support of the New Schools Network

New Schools Network

The New Schools Network is a United Kingdom-registered charity which advises groups of parents or other groups who wish to set up new state-funded, independent schools inspired by similar models in Sweden in the United States...

.

It is located in Hammersmith

Hammersmith

Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...

 in west London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 and was the first Free School

Free school (England)

A Free school is a school in England funded by the taxpayer, non-selective and free to attend but not controlled by local authorities. The concept of free schools is based upon a similar model found in Sweden as well as US charter schools....

 of its type in Britain to sign a Funding Agreement with the Secretary of State for Education.

The West London Free School states that it is a school "with high expectations, strong discipline and an academically rigorous curriculum but which is open to all, regardless of income, ability or faith."

The school has announced that it has, as of September 2011, admitted the first students (120 student in year 7).

Criticism

In addition to criticism of the free school concept generally, the West London Free School has been criticised in The Guardian for setting up the school in Palingswick House in Hammersmith as the building was previously occupied by a number of charitable groups which have had to move out. Opponents of free schools have also challenged perceived shortcomings in freedom of information

Freedom of information

Freedom of information refers to the protection of the right to freedom of expression with regards to the Internet and information technology . Freedom of information may also concern censorship in an information technology context, i.e...

 access related to the development of free schools including the West London Free School.

Peter Winter, headmaster of Latymer Upper School

Latymer Upper School

Latymer Upper School, founded by Edward Latymer in 1624, is a selective independent school in Hammersmith, West London, England, lying between King Street and the Thames. It is a day school for 1,130 pupils – boys and girls aged 11–18; there is also the Latymer Preparatory School for boys and girls...

, criticised the placing of the West London Free School next door as he feared increased traffic to the area would threaten pupil safety.