Parent consultation on four new academies for Norfolk

If the plans are approved there would be six academies in Norfolk

Parents and carers in four areas of Norfolk are being asked for their views on plans to turn low-performing local high schools into academies.

They are Oriel High School in Gorleston, Costessey High School near Norwich and Rosemary Musker and Charles Burrell high schools in Thetford.

They would all close in August - along with the Park High in King's Lynn - and be replaced with four new academies.

The two schools in Thetford would become one new school under the plan.

Lead sponsor

There are already two academies in Norwich and this would take the total in the county to six in September.

All the schools apart from Charles Burrell have been named as failing schools.

The lead sponsor for Thetford's new academy is Wymondham College.

The College of West Anglia is leading the bid for academy status for Park High School in King's Lynn.

Principals for them have yet to be appointed.

Costessey and Oriel high schools have the educational charity, the Ormiston Trust, as a lead sponsor which has so far opened seven academies across the UK.

Improved school

Two principals for those new establishments have been appointed to take up their positions in September.

Rachel de Souza and Nicole McCartney are currently principal and vice principal of Barnfield West Academy in Luton.

It was named the most improved school and academy in the UK by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust after 100% of students achieved five or more A* to C grades in their GCSEs in 2009.

It also tripled the number of students achieving five A* to C with English and maths.

After the consultation ends the county council's cabinet will decide whether to issue a public notice to close the schools so they could be replaced with Academies.

Subject to final government approval it would then make a final decision in June.