City academies: are they working?
Updated on 14 June 2007
New evidence suggests not everyone is benefitting from the government's revolutionary academies.
It's a revolution in education created by Tony Blair and now backed by both Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
Today, the government unveiled plans for seven City Academies in Birmingham, the largest group of the privately-funded schools to be announced at one time.
But just how successful are they? Channel 4 has discovered evidence that shows disadvantaged children attending many of the new academies are actually doing worse academically.