A CAMPAIGN has been launched to stop Bolton’s schools from being turned into privately-backed academies.

Teachers and support staff vowed to “defend education” and keep schools within the control of Bolton Council.

The council wants to transform Withins School in Breightmet and Hayward School in Great Lever into academy schools, which would effectively take them out of local authority control.

During the last academic year, teachers at both schools held a series of strikes against the proposals. The threat of legal action led to Bolton Council withdrawing proposals for Hayward, but those proposals are back on the table and now a formal campaign has been launched by unions to defeat them.

Members are urging the community to join them in their campaign.

Barry Conway, secretary of the Bolton branch of the National Union of Teachers, said: “The meeting was held to launch a campaign to defend Bolton’s schools, defend education and resist the privatisers.

“Despite widespread opposition from staff in all schools affected by the council’s move to privatise them, the council is going ahead with plans to offload their responsibility for education in the town.”

The academy programme is part of the Government’s controversial scheme to give control of some schools to private organisations.

Sponsors, which for Hayward include Bolton Council and Cohens Chemist, have put up between £1 million and £2 million to govern the school, while the Government has put forward £25 million to turn it into a publically funded but independently managed school.

Withins School sponsors are Manchester Diocese and entrepreneurs, David and Anne Crossland.

Bolton Council is carrying out a consultation on the proposals.

Cllr Ebrahim Adia, executive member for children’s services, said: “Before taking any decision I will be looking at the results of the consultation and will hear the views of stakeholders, including parents and the governing body. Nationally, trade unions are opposed to academies and this is being reflected locally.”