Flagship academy principal arrested over suspected fraud

Detective Superintendent Lisa Griffin of West Yorkshire Police said in a statement that a 41-year-old man, who she did not name, had been arrested as part of an “ongoing investigation into matters at Kings Science Academy in Bradford.”

Mr Raza set up the school in 2011, and was on hand to show Prime Minister David Cameron round when he visited in March 2012.

During that visit Mr Cameron praised the school and, in a hand-written note added to a thank you letter, he wrote:

“I was really impressed and have told Michael Gove about your work. Keep it up!”

Financial allegations

In 2013 an investigation by the Education Funding Agency (EFA) found “serious failings” in the financial management of the school, following revelations that it had claimed tens of thousands of pounds of public money that had not been used for its intended purposes.

The police investigation was triggered when the Department for Education (DfE) received allegations of wrongdoing which they passed on to the police fraud centre, Action Fraud.

The DfE said “All free schools are held to rigorous account… where there is failure we will not hesitate to intervene”. It said it was also acting to recover “appropriate funds”.

West Yorkshire Police told Channel 4 News that the matter was referred to them by the National Fraud Intelligence bureau on 31 October 2013.

Parliamentary questions

Bradford East Lib Dem MP David Ward, who has raised a number of questions about the management of the academy, last week asked Education Secretary Michael Gove what action the department was taking in relation to Mr Raza following the DfE’s audit.

When Mr Gove declined to comment, citing the ongoing police investigation, Mr Ward commented “that is disappointing, because of course the head of a maintained school would have been on his bike long ago.”

The role of Mr Alan Lewis was also raised by Mr Ward and Labour MP Kevin Brennan.

Mr Lewis, who is a vice chairman of the Conservative Party, has been the executive patron of the Kings Science Academy since it was founded.

The school is built on land he owns, and the education secretary told MPs that “Mr Lewis is receiving for the property an appropriately guaranteed market rent – less than he was receiving for it beforehand.”