Education: Council acts to improve understanding of bill

The Government aims to allow schools which choose to leave their local council to become academies within three months.

All outstanding schools have been pre-approved to join the programme by Ministers who have also invited every primary and secondary in the country to apply.

Last night the issue was discussed at Calderdale Council's Children and Young People's Scrutiny Panel.

Scout Road Primary in Mytholmroyd has become the first in the district to declare an interest in becoming an academy.

Chairman Coun Megan Swift said: "This legislation is going through Parliament incredibly quickly and it is important that the council, head teachers, governors and parents all have a shared understanding of what it means."

The National Union of Teachers' Calderdale branch secretary Sue McMahon has urged schools to consult parents and staff before making academy-status decisions.