It was a great first day at school for pupils at Norwich's first free school today.
Tania Sidney-Roberts, principal of Free School Norwich, said: 'It has gone very well. We have had a great day.
'We had a teddy bear-themed day and all the children brought their teddies in.
'It was a very happy day.'
Free School Norwich, in Surrey Street, has 96 students, and it is joining 23 other primary, secondary and all-age free schools being opened up across the country.
They have been set up by education organisations, teachers, parents community groups, faith groups, charities, existing schools, and academy sponsors.
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has called for the government's new free schools to be open to all and not run for profit. He said they would be acceptable only if they reduce social segregation and called on education secretary Michael Gove to ensure the second wave of the free schools are in poorer neighbourhoods or in areas with shortages of school spaces.
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