Britain’s first parent-run state school opens doors

The opening this week of the Elmgreen school in south London was the culmination of four years of hard work by local parents. The school, which opened its gates to 180 pupils for the first time on Monday, is entirely owned and run by parents.

It’s the first parent-run school to be funded by the government’s Building Schools For The Future programme. Local mums and dads had long protested the lack of secondary school places in the borough.

380 parents in total worked alongside Lambeth council to open the school and will get a greater say in how it is run. No more parents evenings for Elmgreen parents – the school will have a consultation week to allow parents to quiz teachers about all aspects of their children’s education.

Parent Nat Ryles told the BBC: ‘The more parents you have involved in something like this the better it is I think for everyone, for teachers, for the head, for kids and for parents.’

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