Tony Blair's much-vaunted and part-privately funded city academies were among the worst schools in England.

Middlesbrough's Unity City Academy and the town's Kings Academy fared badly in key stage three test results.

Only 27 per cent of Unity pupils achieved the result expected of the age group in English, 45 per cent in maths and 26 per cent in science.

King's Academy had 48 per cent of its pupils reach level five in English, 57 per cent in maths and 57 per cent in science. Nationally, 71 per cent of pupils reached level five in English, 73 per cent in maths and 66 per cent in science.

The Unity City Academy was set up two years ago in a merger of the failing Langbaurgh and Keldholme schools. Last month, a new management board claimed it inherited a legacy of "financial, management and educational failings" and said it had instigated a recovery plan.

Chairman Joe McCarthy said he was disappointed, but added: "We will certainly be aiming to improve significantly our performance levels in the current year. There is evidence of improvement."