FOUR Thurrock schools are among the 153 schools in the country that have applied for academy status under the new coalition governments offer.
Ockendon School, Treetops School, Beacon Hill and Gable Hall have all applied for the scheme that would see the schools develop independence from the local education authority whilst also benefitting from possible new buildings.
Nine schools registered interest last month in a scheme that would see the schools join Gateway Academy in Tilbury and Ormiston Park Academy in Aveley.
Education secretary Michael Gove has come under attack after declaring that over 1,000 schools had registered an interest. However, one Thurrock Head explained what that meant.
He said: “When you got the e-mail from the government, you had to register interest in order to get more information. That is why the eventual uptake figure may be distorted.
