MAT told to improve and drop joint sponsorships with Ormiston and E-Act

From DfE: Pre-warning notice to University of Chester Academies Trust (UCAT)
A letter from Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools Lord Nash to the directors of the University of Chester Academies Trust regarding the unacceptably low standards of performance of pupils at the:

Fee paying school scraps free school plans over faith cap

From the Liverpool Echo: (St Mary’s College) has scrapped plans to become a free school after a clash with the Archdiocese of Liverpool... (which)refused to back its application because of the Government’s decision to impose a 50% cap on the number of pupils admitted to free schools on the basis of their faith.'

Liverpool academy head steps down after 8 years

From the Liverpool Echo: 'Kay Askew, principal at North Liverpool Academy (part of the Northern Schools Trust) since it was established in 2006, left her post in January. Vice-principal Rupert Stead... has now been appointed as her permanent replacement... Ms Askew turned 60 in December.'

Private school's bid to become a free school discouraged by catholic church

(UPDATE: May 2014 BBC reports free school bid abandoned due to church pressure.)
From the Independent: St Mary's College in Crosby, Merseyside, is seeking to become a free schools... 'However, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool has come out against the plan because the Government insists on a cap of 50 per cent on the number of faith pupils admitted to any free school... (it) said: 'It would be extraordinary, if not contrary to Canon Law... to set up a school or allow a school designated as Catholic to be set up, which turned away Catholic pupils on the grounds that they are Catholic.'

Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts looks at opening a free school

From the Liverpool Echo: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/lipa-open-new-liverpool-base-6689073

Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (Lipa) - co-founded by Mark Featherstone-Witty and Sir Paul McCartney in 1995 - is looking to open a primary free school.