Free schools set up by parents, teachers or religious groups are being viewed by County Hall as a possible solution to overcrowded schools in Oxfordshire.

With a growth in pupil numbers putting pressure on classroom space, Oxfordshire County Council is to encourage parents to come forward with “serious proposals” to create free schools across the county.

A meeting bringing together council officers with parents and groups interested in setting up the new form of state-funded school is being held on February 8. The council says that it has already received ten serious expressions of interest from local groups and individuals.

The rise in pupil numbers in Oxfordshire comes with schools faced with no prospect of major funding for building and expansion plans. But the council is hoping that the free schools could provide “a quick and efficient way of creating extra school capacity”.

County cabinet member for schools improvement ,Michael Waine, said: “We welcome the opportunity to talk to anyone who is interested in setting up a free school if they can contribute to ensuring high-quality education in areas where there is pressure on existing school places.

“We have had approaches from organisations and individuals who have expressed an interest and we will be inviting them to a meeting where the council will outline the challenges and opportunities it faces against the backdrop of a rising school population in the county.”

The Government passed legislation in June allowing parents, teachers, charities, trusts and religious and voluntary organisations to set up all-ability state-funded schools.

But Chris Blakey, the Oxfordshire representative on the executive of the National Union of Teachers, said: “Free schools are not an efficient way to create extra spaces. The most efficient way would be for local authorities to be able to expand their schools or build new ones.

“Free schools will take money from local authority schools. It is not new money.

“The Government abolished the Building Schools for the Future programme, which potentially benefited all schools, partly to release the funds needed for free school projects.

“The Government is saying that these free schools can be built virtually anywhere, for instance in empty warehouses, where they will be without proper facilities that you would expect in a well-run school.

“The Education Secretary even confirmed in a reply to a Parliamentary question that free schools could employ unqualified staff.”

Cogges Manor Farm Museum, in Witney, was last month revealed as the potential site of a new 60-pupil ‘free school’ run by home-educating parents.