TWO of Bolton’s outstanding schools are to link up under the Government’s controversial academy programme.

Canon Slade School in Bradshaw and St James CE High School in Farnworth want to become state-funded independent schools under a multi-academy trust.

The Government wants all schools to become academies by 2022 and bosses at the two schools say they have been in talks for the past six months. They have launched a formal consultation to seek the views of parents, staff, students and the wider community.

Members of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) union are against the forced Academisation of schools.

In a joint statement by both schools, senior leaders said: “Over the past six months, two of the Church of England secondary schools in Bolton have been discussing how we may make the most our co-operative work, so that we can develop together our pursuit of excellence in education and our distinctive Christian ethos.”

Both schools stress that the each would maintain its names and traditions, uniforms, identities and admission policies.

Multi-academy trusts – the Government’s way forward for schools – will have a board of directors and local governing body responsible for each academy.

The Government claims that breaking away from local authority control gives school heads the flexibility and freedom to innovate and drive up standards.

The school statement added: “We hope to work with other local schools through this framework in the future.”

It adds that its proposal will enable outstanding schools to work together, to explore the possibilities of building projects, develop “excellent” teacher training and ensure the retention and recruitment of high quality staff.

As both schools are rated outstanding by OFSTED, an outside body will not be appointed to run them – as is in the case in some schools.

Parents of children at both schools have received letters detailing how they can take part in the consultation.

It has been revealed that headteachers could take industrial action after they voted overwhelmingly against schools having academy status thrust upon them.

A motion that "no schools should be forced to become an academy" was amended to include the "last resort" move at the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) annual conference in Birmingham over the weekend. It was passed by 95 per cent of delegates.

The controversial plan to force all schools to become academies is considered the greatest shake-up to the education system in generations and would force thousands to become academies over the next six years.

Last month the man who wants to be the first elected Mayor of Greater Manchester came to Bolton to launch his campaign against plans to force schools to become academies.

Ivan Lewis, the MP for Bury South, is seeking election to the new role for the region next year and has placed fighting the government’s academies policy at the heart of his campaign.

Cllr Linda Thomas, deputy leader of Bolton Council, has previously expressed concerns about the forced academisation of schools. She said that the “the Government are experimenting with our children's education, when the academy system has proved to have flaws, with many failing across the country.”