Sponsored by
Peer is man behind academy scheme
James Reed Education Correspondent THE identity of the sponsors behind plans for a new city academy which has shocked councillors in Bradford was made clearer last night.
Lord Bhatia, a crossbench peer, was confirmed as the leading figure in the hitherto unheard of British Edutrust Foundation which is sponsoring the plan for a city academy to replace Rhodesway School.
A list released by the Department for Education and Skills last week of the first 100 city academies open or in the pipeline included the proposal to replace Rhodesway, naming the sponsor and putting forward an opening date of 2008.
Senior councillors in Bradford, including the cabinet member for education, claimed to be have been
left in the dark about progress towards replacing Rhodesway, with the idea only having been floated last October.
Lord Bhatia was known to have held talks with DfES officials about becoming involved with the academy programme and last night he was confirmed as the chairman of the British Edutrust Foundation which will offer 2m towards the cost of replacing Rhodesway.
Information released last night by DfES officials said the organisation was a new charitable foundation supported by "like-minded leading business individuals" who want to make sure young people become the "business, community, political and philanthropic leaders of the future".
Among the foundation's stated objectives is to encourage children "regardless of their background, race or religion to reach their full potential" and to help the most vulnerable "move from the margins to mainstream of British society".
Lord Amirali Alibhai Bhatia was born in 1932 and educated in Tanzania and India, arriving in Britain in 1971. In addition to his business interests he has a long history of charity work.
Councillors want to know who has been involved in the move to replace Rhodesway School and how the proposals have come to be at such an advanced stage without being more widely discussed.
Further questions are also likely to be asked about those involved in the British Edutrust Foundation in addition to Lord Bhatia.
City academies are a new breed of state-funded independent schools run by sponsors rather than local authorities.
james.reed@ypn.co.uk
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