AN 880-PUPIL free school in Oxford has been hailed as the beginning of a new solution to the county’s shortage of places.

The Government yesterday announced it had given permission for The Swan School, an offshoot of The Cherwell School, to open in 2017.

And more free schools – which are outside the control of local authorities – could open in Oxfordshire after Prime Minister David Cameron announced a drive to set up 500 across England.

Oxfordshire County Council estimates there will be more than 40,000 secondary school pupils in the county by 2019/20, compared to 36,500 at the end of the last school year.

Primary school pupil numbers are expected to increase from 49,855 to 54,936 in the same period.

The Cherwell School headteacher Paul James said he was delighted The Swan School had been approved.

Mr James is also chief executive of The Cherwell Academy Trust which will run the new school.

He said: “It is well known that there are more children coming through the Oxford city school system than it can cater for.

“The Swan School proposals are clearly meeting a need.

“Our consistent over-subscription at The Cherwell School shows there is a real demand for quality education.”

The Cherwell School is currently rated ‘outstanding’ by school inspection body Ofsted.

Free schools can be set up by groups of parents or teachers, charities, businesses or community organisations.

They are subject to government checks and performance measures but do not have to follow the national curriculum.

Since they were backed by the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition they have been opposed by Labour, but Oxford City Council leader Bob Price said he was pleased The Swan School had been approved.

He said: “It is good news for parents in Oxford who have not been able to get their children into their first choice schools.

“The only way to get more school places is to expand an existing school or set up a new school.

“And new schools effectively have to be free schools.

“In a situation where you have a problem you have to find a way forward and what we have got is a free school which is an asset of a very good school – Cherwell.”

Mr Price confirmed the city council had held discussions with Mr James about where The Swan School could be based.

He said it would be particularly good news for parents in south and central Oxford but was unable to give an exact location.

The school will be a community comprehensive school and will offer 120 places each year until all seven years are full.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement that the Government wanted 500 free schools to open in England by 2020 Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Education and Childcare Sam Gyimah visited Heyford Park Free School near Bicester.

The school is one of a handful of free schools currently operating in the county and was the first in North Oxfordshire when it opened in September 2013.

Mr Gyimah said: “Today is a positive day for parents.

“We know there is an increasing need for school places and today’s announcement will deliver 236,000.

“The important thing is that 50 per cent of free schools are rated good or outstanding.

“We want to see more in the country and more in Oxfordshire.

“Heyford Park is an excellent example of what a free school can achieve in a local area.

“It has turned into something which is a beacon for hope and aspiration.”

Yesterday was the first day all 270 pupils at Heyford Park started a school year at their permanent home – a refurbished building which was once home to the Royal Air Force and US Air Force in Upper Heyford.

Principal David Castles said he would work with any new free schools in the county which wanted to learn from his experience.

County council education chief Melinda Tilley said: “I am very happy about The Swan School.

“I am particularly happy about it being run by a local school.

“We need a lot of new school places and the more we get the merrier.

“But I hope the Department for Education will listen to us when we suggest who should run these free schools.”