Waves 5,6,7: In March 2013, the Department for Education announced the application schedule for groups wishing to open free schools in 2015 and beyond.[34] The Wave 5 pre-approvals were announced in January 2014, with 11 new schools being approved.[35] Five months later another 38 were pre-approved for Wave 6,[36] and in September of the same year, a further 35 schools were pre-approved for Wave 7.[37]