Ministers have set aside up to £43 million to fund the Oak National Academy quango over the next three years – and have had to dip into their contingency pot to get it up and running.
It comes as investor and former Michael Gove adviser Henry de Zoete is appointed a temporary board member for the new arms-length body, which officially launches today.
Oak’s transfer into a government quango has been mired in controversy recently, with the country’s largest academy trust – United Learning – quitting.
