The Department for Education has reaffirmed support for new free schools despite a story in The Times this week suggesting Education Secretary Justine Greening was planning to scale back on opening more in order to use the money elsewhere.

A  DfE spokesman said the free school scheme was “a key component of the government’s work to raise standards, increase parental choice and provide the new school places that we know we will need in the years ahead.”

Sponsors of the New Jewish High School for London had hoped to submit an application in spring but the process was delayed because of the general election. Eve Sacks, of the NJHS, said “we hope the scheme isn’t axed and we are still working on the bid”.

Toby Young, director of the New Schools Network, said, “I do not believe the government will abandon one of its most successful policies. Free schools are more likely to be rated outstanding by Ofsted than council-run schools, more popular with parents and get better results.”