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<p>The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), is responsible for ensuring that underperforming free schools and academies take steps to raise standards, and will not tolerate failure.</p><p>In extreme cases the Secretary of State for Education can intervene to enforce a change in leadership or force the school to close. Before intervening in an underperforming free school or academy, the Secretary of State will assess whether the Trust is taking, or has the necessary capacity to take, the appropriate action to improve standards.</p><p>The Secretary of State's powers to intervene are specified in the funding agreement between the Secretary of State and the Academy Trust.</p><p>Free school and academy funding agreements are published on the Department for</p><p>Education's website once the school has opened.</p> |