Sponsor blow to £50 million academies

The Government's flagship city academies programme suffered another setback today.

A private education company which had wanted to run the biggest academies project yet, has pulled out after a parents' revolt.

Global Education Management Systems (Gems), the largest British private school operator, has decided not to sponsor two academies in Milton Keynes.

The blow will encourage critics of the Government's determination to increase the private sector's role in state education. One of the 17 academies that have opened has been failed by education watchdog Ofsted, while exam results at the rest are still poor for the most part.

Gems has now forced Milton Keynes council to seek fresh sponsors to provide £4million towards the £50million startup costs.

The company pulled out after parents at a Milton Keynes private school it owns, Bury Lawn, passed a vote of no confidence in Gems' management and campaigned for changes. But Gems said most families had shown they were supportive of the school.