This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-26335206
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| E-Act chain loses control of 10 academy schools | E-Act chain loses control of 10 academy schools |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| One of the largest chains of academies in England is to be stripped of the control of 10 schools, the Department for Education says. | One of the largest chains of academies in England is to be stripped of the control of 10 schools, the Department for Education says. |
| The decision was made after Ofsted inspectors raised serious concerns about the performance of the E-Act schools. | The decision was made after Ofsted inspectors raised serious concerns about the performance of the E-Act schools. |
| It will remain in control of the further 24 academies in its chain. | It will remain in control of the further 24 academies in its chain. |
| A DfE spokesman said officials were working with E-Act to find new sponsors for the underperforming schools. | |
| But the Department for Education would not confirm the identity of the schools, saying it would be for E-Act to tell parents. | |
| Financial investigation | |
| A statement from E-Act says it is working with the Department for Education to "identify where we are best placed to make a significant difference to our academies". | |
| "Our pupils, parents and staff deserve strong support and leadership. Our focus is on where we can provide this and to allow others to deliver elsewhere." | |
| The decision will mean that E-Act will lose control of about a third of its academies. | |
| Such sponsored academies are state funded, but are part of chains run by academy providers. | |
| Academy providers are not-for-profit trusts that run groups of schools. Almost 60% of secondary schools in England are now academies. | |
| The decision to remove these schools from E-Act follows inspections of 16 of the group's schools by the Ofsted watchdog. | |
| The academy provider faced heavy criticism last year in a report from the financial inspectorate, the Education Funding Agency, which warned of a culture of extravagant expenses. | |
| The decision to limit E-Act is likely to raise further questions about the oversight of academy schools and the chains which run some of them. | |
| The Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw has said that academy chains should be open to the scrutiny of Ofsted inspections - in the same way that local authority services can be inspected. | |
| The Department for Education says it will take "swift action to address underperformance in all schools - no matter who controls them". | |
| "That is as true for academies and free schools as it is for council-run schools," said a Department for Education spokesman. | |
| "We welcome E-Act's decision to hand over a number of their academies to new sponsors. | "We welcome E-Act's decision to hand over a number of their academies to new sponsors. |
| "We hope this will mean E-Act can focus on raising standards in their remaining schools." | "We hope this will mean E-Act can focus on raising standards in their remaining schools." |
| Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said: "Michael Gove is allowing underperformance to go unchecked in academy schools and free schools. | Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said: "Michael Gove is allowing underperformance to go unchecked in academy schools and free schools. |
| "The complete lack of oversight has meant poor standards of education are allowed to set in. Michael Gove is refusing to take the action that is needed to prevent standards slipping." | "The complete lack of oversight has meant poor standards of education are allowed to set in. Michael Gove is refusing to take the action that is needed to prevent standards slipping." |