Academies are similar to normal schools, but are publicly funded and not controlled by local authorities or the government.

It has been announced that around 200 of the worst primary schools in England are to turn into academies next year, in an effort to improve them.

The failing schools are to be closed and then re-opened as academies in 2012. 

In other school news, it was also announced today that second ary schools are to make sure that at least half of their pupils achieve at least five good GCSE grades from now on.