Cribsheet 12.09.11

Students at ProCivitas school, Malmö, Sweden — Students at ProCivitas free school in Malmo, Sweden. Photograph: Richard Orange for the Observer

Recently the Spectator made the case for schools being able to make a profit, and referred to Sweden as a shining example. When the magazine held a readers' poll on the subject, 71 per cent favoured the idea of schools being run by profit-seeking companies. If you polled Swedish parents and education experts, however, you'd get a more mixed result. As a matter of fact, a recent poll carried out by Synovate found that over 50 per cent of Swedes want to ban companies from operating schools for profit.

As Friday's Cribsheet pointed out, Sweden has seen a massive drop in international league tables on student results, including literacy. Read more about the findings of a recent report on Swedish free schools by business-funded thinktank SNS, that has caused a heated debate in Swedish media, in this Observer dispatch article.

Hundreds of our readers have posted their thoughts on the subject, on our threads. Comment is Free selected a few here.

The West London free school opened its doors to the press on Friday, with Toby Young talking about his dream project. See for yourself the pictures that tell the story of the day.

Education news from the Guardian

• Andrew Copson explains why it's time to scrap the law to provide daily worship in schools

• How far will you go to get your kids into the right school? Zoe Williams on the parental paranoia that leaves principles at the school gate

• Universities should refuse to spy on their Muslim students, writes Siraj Datoo

• What's the problem if science graduates end up in alternative careers? If anything, we need more of it, says Imran Khan

• Have a look at our amazing 360 interactive panoramic of the library at Glasgow School of Art

• Free school opponents are "defending failure", said David Cameron in his speech on Friday

Live clinic: student finances

Anxious about student loans? Baffled about banks? Worried how university will affect your finances? Put your questions to our experts who will be online tomorrow (13 September) from 12.30pm.

Education news from around the web

• Parents who refuse to tackle their children's disruptive behaviour in school should have their benefits (or, as the Telegraph calls them, "handouts") cut, says the Centre for Social Justice.

• Senior academics have warned David Cameron that he's creating a "liquorice allsorts" system with too many types of schools, writes the Independent.

• The NASUWT teaching union is to ballot its members on fresh strike action over pensions, pay, working conditions and jobs, reports the BBC.

Education seminars from Guardian Professional

Making the most of media opportunities to enhance your school's profile

Whether it's sharing good news or handling a crisis, headteachers and school management teams need to be able to handle the media in all of its forms. This one-day seminar in association with the NAHT is essential for new and aspiring heads as well as established school leaders who wish to update their knowledge. It includes a session on social media.

20 September, London.

Using social media to enhance the student experience

As tuition fees rise, so too do student expectations. Social media is an effective, low-cost way to manage this challenge. This seminar will explore newly conceived best practice, techniques and strategy for all higher education staff: academic, communications, recruitment, marketing and strategy.

22 September, London.

Life after a PhD

Whether it's getting published, convincing an employer that you have transferable skills, or securing an academic post, you need to be fully prepared to achieve your goals. This course will help you identify career opportunities for those with research skills and specialist knowledge.

28 September, London.

Reading for pleasure – bringing classics to life

This half-day conference for secondary school teachers will explore the use and teaching of classic books from Dickens and beyond. Keynote speakers will be Simon Callow, actor and Dickens enthusiast and Judy Golding, daughter of William Golding, author of Lord of the Flies.

20 October, London

Insight into digital journalism

Spend a day at the Guardian and find out how an international news media organisation works. The seminar will focus on aspects of digital journalism including writing and editing for a news website, the relationship between print and web journalism, live blogging, the use of social media, podcasting and video production.

2 November, Kings Place, London