THE trust which manages The Clarendon Academy has become the first academy sponsor to give up all its state-funded schools, after concerns that its standards were unacceptably poor.

Five of The Education Fellowship Trust’s 12 schools are currently rated as inadequate by Ofsted and another three have been deemed to require improvement.

Clarendon, in Frome Road, Trowbridge, was rated good at its latest Ofsted inspection in May 2014.

But it will now be offered back to the Department for Education’s control before a new sponsor is found for it.

Lizzie Rowe, the chief operating officer for The Education Fellowship Trust, said: “The Education Fellowship Trust has requested to transfer all of its 12 academies to new sponsors following a review of financial constraints facing the education sector and the misalignment of values with the DfE.

“TEFT’s priority at this time is to ensure a smooth and timely transfer that minimises impact on the pupils, staff, parents and local communities at the schools.”

The trust’s failure comes after the Government’s claim that forcing underperforming schools to join academy trusts would improve standards.

A Department For Education spokesman said: “Following ongoing concerns regarding the educational performance of the majority of The Education Fellowship Trust schools we have agreed to a request from the trust to terminate their funding agreement.

“One of the strengths of the academy system is that where underperformance is not addressed we are able to take action to tackle it.

“Our priority now is to work with the trust to transfer its schools to new sponsors to drive up standards and ensure all the students receive an excellent education.”

It is not thought that the failure will affect pupils or teachers at Clarendon, but the trust will fold when new sponsors are found for its 12 schools.

The schools rated inadequate in the trust are Ruskin Junior School and Wrenn School in Wellingborough, Blackthorn Primary Academy in Northampton, and Risdene Academy and Rushden Academy, near Kettering.

When approached, The Clarendon Academy said that it is currently unable to comment on the matter.