“Until you radically rethink schooling for children with social problems in inner cities, I don’t think tinkering at the edges will do the slightest good.”

John Charles, deputy head, Twyford CE school, Acton, west London, works at a school that has already been taken over - by the Church of England 20 years ago: “The school was turned round from failing to now having some of the best exam results in the area. We have first-hand experience of it actually working.”

Brian Farrer, humanities teacher at Geoffrey Chaucer school, Southwark, south-east London:

“Every school should be undr local authority control. It’s all right flagging such ideas but until you see the constitution of these new schools, you can’t tell if they will work. This seems to be Fresh Start in different clothing.”

Mike Kimber, deputy head, Oaklands school, west London:

“In a Fresh Start school, city academy or whatever you call it, you can change the management and teachers but you have the same disadvantaged kids, who feel worse because you have labelled their school as failing.”

Andrew Nixon, headteacher, Fortismere school, Haringey, north-west London: “I think the Government would be better creating a good package to attract staff to inner-city schools.”