SIR – The news that free schools (state-sponsored private schools) are costing twice as much as predicted should come as no big surprise.

Michael Gove, the Education Minister, introduced these schools with undue haste and they have become in effect his pet-project.

At the same time as huge amounts of public money have been made available to (private) 'Free' schools, local authority school funds have been squeezed.

However, as well as costing a fortune and being over-budget by March of 2014, the total will have reached £1.1 billion.

These schools have been found to have largely been set up in the wrong areas. The National Audit Office reports that of those districts in the country with the greatest need for school places, many of which have severe shortages, half have never had an application for a free school.

The local authorities are not allowed to build new primary schools to meet demand in those areas, however, 42 free schools were given permission to open in locations with no forecasted need at all.

It rather looks like the new free schools have ended up being costly in more ways than one!

David Hornsby, West View Avenue, Wrose