Dulwich to run £20m comprehensive

Dulwich College, one of the capital's most prestigious independent schools, is to run a new state comprehensive in east London.

The disclosure comes days before the publication of proposed legislation which could threaten the charitable status of all fee-paying schools.

As independent schools are being challenged to show how they provide a "public benefit" to local communities or risk losing tax breaks, Dulwich College plans to set up and run a £20 million city academy.

The new school will be the latest of the flagship academies which the Government claims will raise standards in the inner cities. Academies act as Whitehall-funded independent schools. Graham Able, Master of Dulwich College, said: "It would be a Dulwich academy but we would not be putting the money in. Someone else will be putting the money in and we will be doing the management and quality control."