A Study of Free Schools in England from the Perspective of Comparative Education

本研究旨在分析2010年6月英国联合政府开始实施的免费学校政策的现实情况。在研究过程中，主要研究者对相关文献进行了分析，并进行了五次实地调查，访问了英国和瑞典的免费学校，这些学校被认为是英国免费学校的典范。联合政府主张免费学校将对提高教育水平产生巨大影响。然而，关于免费学校存在着严重的意识形态对抗。虽然人们强烈支持免费学校，欢迎免费学校将使家长有自由建立新学校，但几乎所有教师工会和协会都反对免费学校，理由是免费学校将破坏当地的教育民主。此外，在批准设立免费学校方面缺乏透明度也受到强烈批评。

This study aims to analyze the realities concerning the free schools policy started in June 2010 by the coalition government in England. In doing the research the principal investigator made analysis of related documents and carried out five field surveys visiting free schools in England and those in Sweden which are considered as a model for free schools in England. The coalition government advocated that free schools would have a huge impact on raising educational standard. However, there is a severe ideological confrontation about free schools. While a strong support for free schools exists among people welcoming that free schools would give parents freedom to set up a new school, almost all teachers' unions and associations are opposed to free schools with the reason that free schools would destroy local democracy in education. Moreover, lack of transparency in approving setting up free schools was strongly criticized.