The ban on school providers making a profit seems politically motivated.
The successful schools and organisations announced today are amongst the most outstanding school providers in the country.
Greater accountability, stronger inspection and more diversity among school providers have made major inroads into the long and fat tail of under-performing schools.
About profits for school providers, recently ruled out by Gove under pressure from the Lib Dems, he says he is ambivalent.
In times of financial constraint and a significantly increasing student population, for politicians and school providers alike, what are the alternatives?
"That's exactly what local authorities, in terms of their role with both existing academies and bringing in new school providers, will be doing".
Of course, this doesn't represent a fundamental change in Conservative thinking since Gove said some time ago that he had "no ideological objection" to free school providers making a profit from running such schools.
In one camp are the laissez-faire liberals who believe in a supply-side revolution, with new school providers creating a market for parents.
Mr Simmonds, a Conservative, says councils should work with potential free school providers and that there should not be any delays as a result.
