CONCERNS are being raised with the Government over the performance of two North-East super-schools.

Protests have been made to Schools Minister David Miliband about the King's and Unity academies in Middlesbrough which have between them excluded more than 40 pupils from classes this year.

Complaints have been raised by Labour Councillor Paul Thompson, executive member for education with Middlesbrough Council.

While standards in literacy, maths and science across the town's secondary schools are in line with national levels, the two city academies have performed worse than the others, states a damning report to go before Middlesbrough Council.

Prime Minister Tony Blair unveiled the idea of city academies in 2000 as the new generation of schools for the future, aimed at raising education standards in deprived areas.

With more than 40 pupils excluded between the two Middlesbrough academies - some of them special needs youngsters - council resources have been severely overstretched.

Coun Thompson said yesterday: "I have spoken to David Miliband about this issue. I felt I had to raise this issue and I have written to him on the subject.

"The exclusions have caused us problems across the town. We have to continue the education of the kids, we don't have the luxury of just abandoning them.

"I am disappointed. Academies were set up in educationally challenged areas, so you are going to get challenging kids. Over two-thirds of children excluded in Middlesbrough come from just two schools."

Twenty-six of the exclusions were from the King's Academy - representing more than ten times the national average.

Neither of the principals could be contacted for comment at the weekend, but earlier a spokeswoman for the Emmanuel Schools Foundation, running the King's Academy, said: "We have a very clear discipline policy and it is something that parents and students sign up to. They know that there are consequences for misbehaviour. Children exclude themselves if they break the rules."