Twenty-eight mainstream and 18 special free school projects face the axe, with 58 more specialist settings thrown into limbo after a year-long government review.

The Department for Education has confirmed around two thirds of 44 mainstream free school plans that were placed under review when Labour entered government last year are now set to be dropped.

Meanwhile, just 15 out of 92 planned special and alternative provision (AP) free schools are definitely going ahead.

Councils will be given the choice on whether to proceed with another 59 specialist projects, or receive per-pupil cash to create places in existing schools.

Eighteen special schools planned under the free schools programme will definitely be scrapped, with funding diverted to local authorities.

Councils have welcomed the news, but school leaders have slammed ministers for the decision amid a chronic shortage of special school places.

RBWM will be looking working on options and will report on findings