"A school which fails to address and support the varied needs of pupils and which may even have to resort to cherry picking children to the detriment of those with more complex needs, will not serve our children and effectively will cancel out any alleged benefit from the Montessori system."

This is an unfair assumption made with very limited information about the type of school we're planning. Every child has complex needs. The very minimum of these is a classroom where the teacher can give them all adequate attention. Our overcrowded schools are struggling to achieve this and the situation is set to worsen.

There is also no reason to say there would be unclear admissions standards or selective admissions codes. These are not allowed under the free school initiative.

What is wrong with giving power to parents to do what they feel is best for their children?