Government to expand Academy scheme

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Schools Secretary Ed Balls said the extra Academies would be funded by slashing more than half a million pounds from the setting-up costs of each of the schools - including reduced expenditure on consultants.

In a speech at Labour's spring conference in Birmingham, Mr Balls will tell local authorities across England that they "must" give their support to the Academy programme.

He will say that it is time for the Government to "step up the pace" of reforms which give the Academies - often backed by businesses or universities - independence from local education authorities within the state sector.

Critics of Academies point to research, including a report last October from the House of Commons public accounts committee, suggesting that the new-style schools cost more than conventional comprehensives but do not deliver results to match.

But Mr Balls will tell the Labour conference: "The evidence is clear: Academies are turning round low-performing schools in disadvantaged communities; with fair and comprehensive admissions and even more disadvantaged intakes than their catchment areas; delivering faster rising results than other schools.

"This is progressive politics in action - giving kids in our poorest communities a better chance and showing we can break the link between deprivation and attainment.

"And by speeding up the decision-making process and cutting consultant fees, we will now further accelerate our Academies programme over the next two years. Not reform for the sake of reform - but reforms to deliver rising standards and excellence for all."

Some 55 Academies will now be opened per year in 2008/09 and 2009/10, compared to previous plans for 50, with set-up costs for each school reduced from £4.15 million to £3.5 million. The current 83 Academies in 49 authorities should rise to 243 by 2010.

Mr Balls' aides said that the spending cut would not impact on the resources provided to Academies to improve educational outcomes or for buildings.