Education Secretary Michael Gove has called Derby’s failing Muslim school a “worrying” case where things went “very badly wrong”.
Mr Gove also said that the governors at the Al-Madinah School had got it “badly wrong”.
Asked on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show whether he had been naive to the possible problems free schools may present, Mr Gove said: “I don’t think we were naive. But there is one school in Derby, the Al-Madinah School, where things went very badly wrong.
“For me, the test is how quickly do you deal with failure and we recognised after a whistle blower had brought it to our attention that there were some real concerns with this school and that we needed to take action.”
Mr Gove added: “And just last week we were able to say that the current group of governors, idealistic people but people who got it badly wrong, are now standing down and there is a great new head teacher who is taking over.”
No announcement has yet been made as to who that head teacher may be.
The school, which was threatened with closure because of its poor academic standards and dire financial situation, could become part of a 22-strong academic trust.
The school’s three founding trustees – Shazia Parveen, Shahban Rehmat and Ziad Amjad – have said they will step down.
Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust, which runs the City of Derby Academy, has been confirmed as Schools Minister Lord Nash’s preferred sponsor.
Mr Marr also tackled the minister on the allegation of segregation at the school, asking why the taxpayer should fund such practices.
He said: “I agree with that. I think it is absolutely wrong to have any form of segregation. The whole point about state faith schools is that they strike the right balance between respect for the many great faiths that go up towards making modern multi-cultural Britain in all its diversity and richness.
“But through proper inspection, and adherence to a broad and balanced curriculum, we make sure that children can respect their heritage and be fully integrated into modern Britain.”