I WOULD like to correct the impression your article of last Thursday might have wrongly created, concerning the possibility of another academy somewhere in East Lancashire.

Firstly it stated that I would control the curriculum but other than encouraging specialisation in maths and science the curriculum and the management of the school would be in the hands of a professional education group agreeable to the relevant local authority and the DfES.

The Secretary of State for education will not sign a funding agreement until he is entirely satisfied that the Academy will be effective and run in a sound fashion.

I am already discussing this with the United Learning trust who have already opened three academies including the one in Manchester in 2003 in conjunction with Manchester Science Park. They are also responsible for the one to be opened in partnership with the Diocese of Manchester in Salford in 2005.

Secondly, it inferred that the academy would cream off the better pupils whereas the intention is quite the opposite, to serve a community where there is the greatest need -- it would serve those who live closest to it and foster family values by encouraging siblings to stay together.

There is no question of selection and therefore no issue of 'creaming off". In fact, ULT's academies in Manchester and Lambeth (London) have higher proportion of children with special educational needs than the average of the authority at large.

In each case an academy would expect to have its share of more needy children.

TONY CANN, Chairman, Promethean.