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New Academies Agreed

The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has announced the next stage of development for four new Academies.

Ed Balls announced two new Academy proposals in Redcar and Cleveland and Halton and signed the funding agreements for two Academies in Nottingham and Hertfordshire.

The new Nottingham Academy will open in September 2009 and will be sponsored by Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust with the business and financial support of Experian Ltd, which has contributed £500k to the Endowment Trust.

Bushey Academy in Herts will open in existing buildings in September 2009 and will specialise in Business and Communications. Bushey Hall is a National Challenge School and has been subject to Special Measures since March 2008.

Ed Balls said today: “I am really pleased to announce two new Academy proposals and to sign off funding agreements for two more.

Academies have a proven track record of raising standards for some of the most disadvantaged young people in the country, they are popular with parents, and the proportion of pupils in Academies getting five or more good GCSE’s has almost doubled, compared to their predecessor schools. That is why we have accelerated the numbers of Academies opening in the next 2 years.”

"These new Academies include examples of the expertise and best practice being set out in today’s White Paper, ‘Your child, your schools, our future: Building a 21st century schools system’, with successful school leaders driving school improvement in their local area through federations and the development of school chains.

“These new Academies are also excellent examples of sponsors from education and business backgrounds working in partnership.”