Chains of academies should be subjected to Ofsted investigations.

Currently, the regulator can inspect individual academies, but not the chain organisations that run several of the schools and Lib Dem minister David Laws believes this has to change - a view which could put him at odds with the UK's education minister Michael Gove.

Under Mr Gove's and the coalition's leadership, academies have become much more prevalent in the UK and they are no longer a "precious flower" that needs protecting, according to Mr Laws.

The Lib Dem politician, who is the second-most senior member of the Department of Education, told the Independent: "This flower has now grown strong enough to survive in the full heat of the sun.

"There are some really good local authorities and there are still some terrible ones. In the same way, there are some good academy groups doing an absolutely fantastic job - like Ark and Harris - and some not doing so well."

He explained Ofsted inspections should be able to dig as deep as they want into the inner workings of academies, especially those which are run by the same chain.

Academies enjoy a status that gives them state funding, but they have a greater level of autonomy and do not have to follow the national curriculum. Although they have been in existence since 2002, rapid growth in recent years has meant the majority of secondary schools in the UK are now academies, while 48 per cent of these are part of groups of two or more run by a single chain.

Currently, Ofsted can inspect local authorities, which supervise other state-funded schools, but has no powers to scrutinise private organisations in the same way.

As somebody working in a teaching job, do you think academy chains need to be put under a brighter spotlight?

Let us know your views. 

Posted by Darryl Mydat