TEACHERS and staff are to strike over plans to turn their school into an academy, unions have announced.

Bowland High School in Grindleton announced its plans to apply to break away from local authority control in March this year.

And now members of Unison, NUT and NASUWT are to strike on Friday morning over how they fear the changes will affect their employment status, career development and pay and conditions.

If the academy plans go ahead, the school in Sawley Road would be in charge of its own finances and be given more freedom over the curriculum. It would no longer be overseen by Lancashire County Council.

NUT's Lancashire secretary Ken Cridland said staff also objected to money being taken away from other schools to fund the government’s flagship scheme.

He added: “Others are suffering for Bowland High to become an academy.

“The ways academies are set up is also at the expense of local democratic control.

“The staff are in harm's way, the community will be hurt, and the school itself is at risk.”

Carol Lukey, Unison branch secretary, said staff were also concerned about the potential affects on the local community.

“There is no evidence to support the view that academies achieve better results, but there is clear evidence that academies admit fewer pupils from more deprived areas.”

John Girdley from the NASUWT, said staff were sending a clear message: “We don’t want to be a part of an academy and we have no faith or trust in your proposals for the school.”

NASUWT members at St Christopher’s CofE High School, in Accrington, also demonstrated in April and strikes were held by staff at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School but it opened as an academy in January.

No-one was available to comment from the school.