Kunskapsskolan in March was named preferred bidder to run two “academies”—state-funded schools run largely free from state control—in London. Kunskapsskolan is one of a number of private firms offering government funded education in Sweden. It is profitable with 30 schools and 700 employees teaching nearly 10,000 pupils. The vital tool of the systems approach is the "Kunskapsporten (“Knowledge Portal”), a website containing the entire syllabus. Youngsters spend 15 minutes each week with a tutor, reviewing the past week's progress and agreeing on goals and a timetable for the next one. This will include classes and lectures, but also a great deal of independent or small-group study. The Kunskapsporten allows each student to work at his own level, and spend less or more time on each subject, depending on his strengths and weakness. Each subject is divided into 35 steps. Students who reach step 25 graduate with a pass; those who make it to step 30 or 35 gain, respectively, a merit or distinction......Teachers update and add new material to the website during school holidays........Each child's progress is reported each week in a logbook, and parents can follow what is being studied on the website."