PLANS for 200 privately sponsored city academies will go ahead despite more criticism, the government insists.

An evaluation of the academies, including one in Manchester, has been conducted by consultants Price Waterhouse Coopers and their report is likely to present a mixed picture.

Only 17 of the academies have so far been created and MPs recently called for the '5billion programme to be halted.

One city academy, in Middlesbrough, was failed by schools inspectors last month.

Struggling

Manchester Academy in Moss Side, opened in 2003 , recorded the second lowest GCSE results in the country.

It replaced the struggling Ducie High School, where results were low, attendance poor and debts spiralling.

But last year, despite millions of pounds of extra funding, only eight per cent of youngsters achieved five or more A to C grade GCSEs.

Despite the latest criticism, and calls from the National Union of Teachers to halt the programme, schools minister Jacqui Smith said the Government would press on.

She dismissed suggestions that the Government had created a two-tier system of education.

Ms Smith said: " For too long these pupils were in schools which did not expect enough of them, parents did not have confidence in them, and they are beginning to achieve now."

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