PARENTS and school governors are being urged to attend an anti-academy roadshow tonight.

There are fears that more schools in Bolton could break away from local authority control and become state-funded independent schools under government plans to have academy and free schools.

The government says schools which are free from local authority control and run by sponsors drive up standards — while teaching unions say it represents the privatisation of education.

The meetings have been organised by the Bolton branch of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Association of Teachers and Lecturers, Bolton association of NASUWT — the National Association of Schoolmasters Union and Women Teachers — and Unison.

Julia Simpkins, secretary of Bolton NUT said: “I don’t know whether the government has its eye on any particular schools in Bolton but Michael Gove has made it quite clear that he wants schools to become academies.

“We don’t have a large percentage of academies in Bolton but that is creeping up.

“New schools now have to be academies or free schools.

“We want parents and governors to attend these meetings and find out what academy schools are all about.

“My worry about academy schools is the lack of accountability.

“They are not answerable to the council.”

The first meeting will take place at Green Lane Cricket Club tonight at 6pm with the second meeting taking place on January 27 at Westhoughton Community Centre at the same time.