FAMILIES are staging a protest walk next month to highlight the distance pupils may have to walk once their school closes to make way for an academy.

The walkers will trace the route from Mitchell Business and Enterprise College, in Bucknall, to the proposed site of the replacement school in Park Hall.

Campaigners hope to persuade Stoke-on-Trent City Council to rethink the reorganisation proposals and build a new community school at the Mitchell site instead.

Their walk will take place on Sunday, July 12 at a time yet to be confirmed. It is being organised by a new action group, which was set up by residents following a recent Willfield Village Forum public meeting.

As well as the forum, the group includes representatives from residents' associations in East Bentilee, the Ubberley and Brookhouse area, and Townsend. Governors from Mitchell and nearby Berry Hill High are also involved.

As part of the council's Building Schools for the Future programme, the Park Hall academy would replace both Mitchell and Edensor Technology College, in Longton, in 2011. Berry Hill would close to make way for a different academy in Fenton.

Families say the changes will deprive them of community facilities on their doorstep, force pupils to walk further to lessons, and also destroy a popular nature and wildlife spot at Park Hall.

The council recently published closure notices for the affected schools and there is now a statutory period for people to lodge objections or comments.

A final decision will be made next month, although the authority has said there is some flexibility over the location of the academy planned for Park Hall.