Christian group opens more City Academies

A privately-run Christian company has emerged as the biggest supporter of the Government's new City Academy schools programme.

The Church Schools Company, a charity that runs eight independent schools, announced plans yesterday to open the third of a network of the new-style schools.

The decision to go into joint partnership with the Government to plough £20m into the 600-pupil Lings Upper school in Northampton means it will become the first sponsor to run three of the new schools.

It has already announced plans for a takeover of Ducie High School in Manchester, a 580-pupil comprehensive with a large Muslim intake in Manchester's deprived Moss Side. Its second academy will be in Lambeth, south London.

Ministers plan to set up a total of 33 academies around the country, of which 17 have already been identified. All are sponsored by companies or voluntary groups. They are run along the lines of independent schools with cash backing from the Government.

Ewan Harper, chief executive of the Church Schools Company, said: "We are delighted to be involved in this project and help Northamptonshire become one of the first areas of the country to have a City Academy."

The company has been criticised by the National Union of Teachers' representative at Ducie High School, Tony Harper, for "the development of a white, middle-class, Christian ethos ... in a school where probably 60 per cent are from ethnic minorities".