by political editor Paul Francis

Three secondary and a new primary school are among 102 free schools given the green light to open in Kent.

The government has announced the four have had their applications to become free schools - state-funded but independent of council control - approved.

The four are Hadlow Rural Community Rural School; the Sevenoaks Christian School; the Wye Free School and the Wells Free School in Tunbridge Wells, a primary.

All are expected to be open by 2013.

Announcing the latest wave of free schools, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Free schools symbolise everything that is good about the revolution that we are bringing to Britain's schools. Choice for parents. Power in the hands of teachers. Discipline. Rigour. High quality education in areas that are crying out for more good local schools."

Free schools are a cornerstone of the coalition government's education reforms and are permitted to open where there is evidence there is parental demand for places not met by existing schools.

Many are being initiated by parents' groups, while others are being sponsored by charities and church groups. They receive funding from the government and have no links with the local education authority.

Opponents argue the development of free schools could make it difficult for education authorities to manage demand for places and could adversely affect existing schools.

The Wye Free School is planned as a 600-pupil secondary and will be based at the campus of Wye College, near Ashford.

It will offer schooling for 11-to-18-year-olds and will be established in association with the United Learning Trust, which is behind several academies.

Backers of the Sevenoaks Christian Free School say they want to open a school with a strong Christian ethos which secures a reputation for academic excellence.

It will initially have four forms of entry but there are plans to develop it as a school with a sixth form.

The Hadlow Free School will have a strong rural focus according to its backers and is being supported by Hadlow College.