Academy: charity in finance probe

A CHARITY chosen to run one of Oldham’s new academy schools has been accused of mismanaging contracts.

The Government has ordered an inquiry into Edutrust following claims by its former chief executive of governance and financing irregularities.

The organisation will run one of three academies under Oldham’s £230 million Building Schools for the Future Plans (BSF) to transform secondary education.

This will replace Grange and open on the school’s current Rochdale Road site in 2010 before moving into a new building in Royton in 2012/13.

Edutrust was founded by financier Lord Amir Bhatia and was on a Government list of approved sponsors.

Oldham’s BSF outline business case has to be submitted to the Government by the end of January and Councillor Knox, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said: “I would like to reassure pupils, parents and staff that we have complete confidence in the choice of sponsors.

“Our own experience of Edutrust is that this is a charity which is very focused on children and young people and we believe that it will bring a lot of knowledge and skills to Oldham.

“The Department for Children, Schools and Families’ (DCSF) investigation does not impact on the deadline for us to formally submit our proposals.”

Edutrust is due to open eight academies under the Government’s flagship education policy. Former chief executive Ian Comfort claims he was unfairly dismissed days before a six-month probationary period ended after he raised his concerns with Lord Bhatia and the DCSF.

Bryan Beckinham, branch secretary of Oldham National Union of Teachers said: “The position is clear. When you put schools in the hands of private sponsors this sort of thing may or may not happen. We have been warning about this from the beginning.”

Another of Oldham’s academy sponsors, the charity Oasis, recently hit the headlines.

It received £500,000 for an academy in Grimsby from a businessman who funded a campaign against the abolition of Section 28, legislation that outlawed the promotion of homosexuality.

Stuart Paulley, secretary of Oldham Campaign Against Academies, said: “As more academies are opening we are seeing more problems.”

A DCSF spokesman would not comment until the investigation is completed.

The Oldham Chronicle was unable to obtain a comment from Edutrust.