ACADEMIES and free schools should be brought back under council control, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) said last night after an “utterly damning” parliamentary report tore the part-privatised system to shreds.

A House of Commons education select committee report published today criticises the “exceptionally fast” transition of schools to academy status and slams academies for their lack of accountability and transparency.

The dossier says there are “conflicts of interest” in the private trusts that control academies, and demands Ofsted be given the power to inspect academy chains.

And in a exquisite rebuff to Tory dogma, the committee argues: “Academisation is not always successful nor is it the only proven alternative for a struggling school.”

But MPs insisted there was still a role for atomised schools in the British education system, calling for regional school commissioners to take charge.

NUT deputy general secretary Kevin Courtney welcomed the report but called for ministers to go further.

“The NUT is clear that the role of democratic oversight of state-funded schools is better exercised by local authorities rather than by an expanded role for regional school commissioners,” he said.

“Local authorities are directly accountable to voters and can provide local mechanisms for parents who are dissatisfied with aspects of their child’s schooling and provide appropriate school improvement support at local level.”

And he launched a scathing attack on the Con-Dem government’s record.

“Whichever government comes into power after the next general election should stop throwing taxpayers’ money at this failed experiment and return all state-funded schools back to the oversight of local authorities.”

Labour shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said the report represented a “damning verdict.”

“Progress in our school system has been undone since 2010, restricting the opportunities and life chances of young people,” he said.

Ofsted chief Michael Wilshaw will be grilled by MPs tomorrow over provisions for new powers for his agency.

Mr Wilshaw repeated calls last year for the schools inspectorate to be allowed to inspect the head offices of academy chains.

Last week Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said Ofsted should be allowed to inspect the chains — but not pass judgement on their effectiveness.