A FAILING academy trust that runs three Basingstoke schools is set to hand them over to another provider in September.

Catch-22 Multi Academies Trust is handing over the seven academy schools it runs, three of which are in Basingstoke – Coppice Spring Academy, Ashwood Academy and Austen Academy - following a string of poor Ofsted inspections.

It is understood that the Department of Education has chosen Chiltern Way as the preferred academy trust to take over Catch-22’s schools.

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Basingstoke MP Maria Miller met with officials from the Department of Education to discuss the rebrokering of the three Basingstoke schools and reiterated her calls for “increased capital investment” in both Ashwood Academy in Winklebury and Coppice Spring Academy, in Pack Lane.

She said: “I was pleased to hear that the Department of Education are confident that the preferred academy trust, Chiltern Way, is close to signing an agreement to take on the schools previously run by Catch-22 – the Austen Academy, the Ashwood Academy and Coppice Spring – from next September.”

She added: “Whilst we are fortunate that the Austen Academy, a £10 million state of the art facility, opened in 2021, I have been pressing the Department for Education for more funds for capital investment at both Coppice Springs and Ashwood Academy.

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“I was therefore pleased to hear that a building assessor from the Department of Education’s Capital Team is due to visit both schools in the coming months to assess what can be done to improve facilities.

"I will continue to monitor both the rebrokering process and the capital assessments closely.’’

The Chiltern Way Academy Trust currently runs two academies – Chiltern Way Academy in Wendover, which is graded as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, and Chiltern Way Academy Wokingham, which has not yet received an Ofsted inspection.

A spokesperson for Catch-22 said: "Chiltern Way are set to take over our Basingstoke schools. We’re still agreeing timescales and obviously, our priority is to ensure a smooth transfer for pupils and staff."