Opening a new free school

We have a statutory duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places for primary, secondary and special schools within the borough.

We are proposing to open two new free schools across the borough within the next three years.

For sponsors looking for an opportunity to open a new free school in Cheshire West and Chester, there are potentially two routes available:

The central mainstream free schools programme (wave process)

If, as a sponsor, you have a proposal for a free school that meets the government's criteria you can, on occasions, apply directly through the government's wave process.

Free school presumption process

Department for Education have very recently (on 18 May 2026) published new guidance for opening new schools: Opening new schools - GOV.UK

This means the presumption process is an option by which local authorities can establish new schools in order to meet the need for additional places, both in terms of basic need and the need for diverse provision within their areas. The presumption process can be used to deliver all types of schools and local authorities are responsible for determining the specification for the new school and will lead and implement the project to establish the school.