Rival bidders for free school join forces

This report in the Northamptonshire Telegraph said Maplefields Teaching School Alliance and Brooke Weston Academy Trust had merged their bids to create a special free school in Corby.

EMLC Academy Trust submits bids for £20m school site

From Northampton Chronicle: 'EMLC Academy Trust (which sponsors three primary schools in Northampton) is making a bid to run a new £20 million school on the site of a former Royal Mail sorting office.'

Free school bid picked two sponsor chains later forbidden from growing

From the Daventry Express: Middlemore Residents Association has admitted defeat for now in its in bid to bring a free school to the 
Daventry estate (Northamptonshire)... Initially E-ACT... was chosen (until) it was given notice to improve... the group then worked with the David Ross Education Trust (DRET) before DRET was told by the Department of Education to concentrate on existing academies rather than build new ones.

Coventry's first academy put in special measures

From the Coventry Telegraph: The Grace Academy, the first school in Coventry converted into a city academy, has gone into special measures after being declared inadequate by Ofsted.

New multi-academy trust attracts experienced head

From Northants Telegraph: http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/top-stories/academy-takes-wellingborough-primary-school-under-its-wing-1-5813503

Sir Christopher Hatton Academy in Wellingborough has formed a multi-academy trust (MAT) -  the Hatton Academies Trust. It will be working with Victoria Primary Academy, formerly Victoria Primary School which had been rated as inadequate following an inspection by Ofsted in May 2013...