Academies to take over primaries

Tony Blair's privately sponsored academies are poised to take over state primary schools, it was disclosed yesterday.

The Prime Minister hopes the primary schools will then forge the kind of links that exist between leading fee-paying schools and their junior "prep" schools. Mr Blair, speaking at his monthly press conference, said the idea had been raised by the academies, which were "looking to incorporate into their set-up primary schools as well".

Some academies - including one planned to take over from Islington Green in north London (the comprehensive overlooked by the Blairs for their own children) and one of its feeder primary schools - plan to take in pupils from the age of three to 19. "This is something that is normal in the independent fee-paying sector, so one pupil often moves from one school to another," said Mr Blair. "I don't see why that shouldn't happen in the state sector."

The first link-ups between academies and primary schools will be unveiled when the Government reveals details of the first schools seeking to take advantage of the opportunity to become trust schools.

Interesting? Click here to explore further