A SECOND Chester high school is planning to become an academy.

Just weeks after Christleton High decided to opt out of local authority control, Bishops’ Blue Coat High School in Great Boughton has announced plans to follow suit from April.

Letters were sent out to parents via pupils at the school, in Vaughans Lane, just before the Christmas holidays.

Two ‘surgeries’ to discuss the change have already taken place this week and the deadline for consultation is Tuesday, January 11.

Headteacher Justin Blakebrough said: “We will be applying for academy status under the new rules introduced by the coalition government.

“This means that, unlike the old-style academies, we would receive our funding directly from central government without going through the local education authority and will not need to seek commercial sponsorship.”

The school will remain a church school and no changes to the admissions policy are planned.

Certain aspects including transport, admission appeals and special educational needs places will remain under the control of Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Mr Blakebrough added: “In practice, this would make little difference because we are a voluntary aided school and already have quite a degree of independence from the local authority.”

However, some parents are saying they have been left in the dark about the proposed changes.

One parent, who asked not to be named, said: “I had no idea this was happening until the school reopened after Christmas.

“The school hasn’t really made much of an effort to tell parents what is going on.”