Free? No such thing

It stated that our local MP, Andrew Tyrie, gave the proposal his full support.

Since receiving the leaflet I have emailed Mr Tyrie on four occasions but received no reply.

I hope that the Observer may be more successful in discovering his position. There appears to be no such thing as a ‘Free School’, any more than there is a free lunch.

Someone has to pay, namely the taxpayer.

The money for such a school will, I understand, come from the national or county education budget, leaving less to be spent on our existing state community schools.

This does not seem fair.

Whatever one thinks of private education, at least the parents must be respected for their often sacrificial efforts to provide their children with a good education.

No such respect can be given towards promoters of the Chichester Free School.

The last sentence on their handbill reads:

Chichester Free School will offer many of the advantages of independent education without the fees.

W Owen Cole

Worcester Road, Chichester