Pushing the academy
Updated on 09 August 2005
City Academies are Tony Blair's big idea for education. But does the government's determination to open them, mean that improving schools are being closed?
City Academies are meant to be the government's flagship policy to turn round failing inner city schools - reinvigorating the education system with a blast of private sector enterprise and cash.
But Channel 4 News has seen evidence suggesting that the government is pressurising local councils to adopt City Academies when they don't want to - even against the wishes of parents in some areas.
And other figures obtained by this programme show that private sector sponsors are failing to put in as much money as the government hoped.
Our Business Correspondent Faisal Islam examines why Ministers are pushing City Academies so hard.
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