A series of new free schools have opened in west London this week, including schools supported by Sky and Saracens Rugby Club.
The free schools are funded by the government, but not under the control of local education authorities. Instead, they are usually run by organisations, faith groups or even businesses.
The schools can set their own pay and conditions for their staff, as well as timings for the school day and they don't have to abide by the national curriculum.
The schools are also totally independent when it comes to admissions, and can choose to construct their own admissions policy and process, separate to that for other state schools in the area.
Stories parents will want to read
Some employers have set up their own schools, like Heathrow's University Technical College, which aims to train a new generation of people to run Europe's largest airport.
Sky has chosen to support Bolder Academy in Isleworth , not far from their Osterley offices and has agreed to offer in-school and extra-curricular activities in sport, media and technology.
The school has been created to serve secondary school children in Osterley , Brentford and North Isleworth.
The school was created by a group of local head teachers, who installed Heidi Swidenbank, an Isleworth born and bred head teacher and Ofsted inspector, to be its first head of school.
The school is currently housed in London Road, the former home of Niksham School, which relocated this summer. Bolder has received planning permission for a new school building, next to Sky's Osterley campus and aims to relocate there in 2020.
Andrew Dodge, Chair of Governors at Bolder Academy, told getwestlondon that he thinks "students will go wow" after walking in to the temporary building next week, which has been specially adapted for the school.
"It all came about really because we needed the school places in Hounslow, " Andrew added. "In this particular part of Hounslow, we are the only non-denominational, non single-sex school in the area."
"The partnership with Sky has come about incredibly, they told us to focus on education, while they contribute what they do best.
"So far Sky employees have been volunteering their time and helped us recruit teachers and doing a lot of the work there. They also held a leadership and personal development seminar, bringing in the practices they use at Sky.
He said primary school pupils last year were able to make a news report with Sky, becoming journalists for the day and interviewing each other about their hopes and fears for entering secondary school.
"They have a full worked-out program of activities right the way until 2024, when we should have a full cohort of pupils.
"In the future, this could mean help with media, sport, leadership and support in terms of getting pupils ready for the world of work.
"What could be better than a school set up and run by experienced head teachers. The School's head is not just an experienced teacher, but also a local who knows the primary schools in the area well".
Ada Lovelace School in Ealing
In Ealing , Ada Lovelace Church of England High School has opened as the third school from the Twyford CE Academies Trust.
It is being temporarily housed at the trust's William Perkin School in Greenford before moving to a purpose-built site in West Acton , at the former Barclays playing fields.
The school will eventually have 196 children in each year and specialises in digital technology. It is named after famous mathematician and the world's first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace, who was also Lord Byron's daughter.
Saracens Rugby Club invest in education
Meanwhile Saracens Rugby Club, which is based at the Allianz park in Hendon, has partnered with Middlesex University, to open the Saracens High School, and aims to boost the education of pupils through sport.
Nigel Wray, Saracens Chairman, said: “What a challenge and a privilege to be able to open a school, to try and make a real difference to young people in a disadvantaged community.
"The Saracens High School is, we believe, the first mainstream secondary school ever to be set up by a professional sports club. Our aim, as it is for our players, is to help every young person to be the best that they can possibly be.”
The school hopes to instill four key values held dear by the Saracens into the pupils that pass through its corridors: Honesty, Humility, Discipline and Hard Work.
The secondary school will eventually provide 1,130 places, including a 230 place sixth-form.
Any new school built in the UK must be either a free school or an independent school. Free schools have taken over from academies as the government's favoured school type, and 520 schools have been established, with 53 new schools this year alone.
