Fourth school in Perry Beeches academy chain opens

A new free school, part of chain of academies that has been set up in parts of Birmingham, has been opened.

Perry Beeches IV, in a former kettle factory in the Jewellery Quarter, brings education to a part of the city that has had no school at all since the 1980s.

Jasper Carrot and poet Benjamin Zephaniah were among the guests at the opening.

Executive head teacher Liam Nolan, who eventually wants to open six government-funded secondary schools in Birmingham, said he was very much in favour of the academy system.

The schools are not run by local authorities.