FOUR schools in the region are to become academies from this term.

Brine Leas High School in Nantwich is just one of 32 schools across the country to have completed the conversion process quickly enough to re-open as an academy in time for the start of the new school year.

Of the more than 2,000 schools that have expressed an interest in becoming an academy, just 142 will convert this academic year.

These include The JCB Academy in Rocester; Blurton High School which will become Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy; and Brownhills Maths and Computing College, Tunstall, which will be The Co-operative Academy of Brownhills.

Brine Leas High School is converting as an outstanding maintained school.

The Sentinel reported last month how Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College and Brine Leas were both due to become academies from September. But the Sandbach school was not on the list published by the government yesterday.

The Sentinel revealed in June how almost 50 schools across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Cheshire East had registered an interest in academy status.

Of the 142 schools converting to become academies this year 32 are opening this week and a further 110 schools have had Academy Orders signed meaning they are on track to convert to academies soon.