EIGHT Swindon schools have submitted applications to the Government to become academies in the past month.

Holy Rood Catholic Infant and Junior schools, Lethbridge Primary School, Nova Hreod, Southfield Junior School, St Joseph’s Catholic College, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and The Commonweal School are among 240 applications received by the Department for Education last month.

Academies are free from local and national Government control and ministers claim they are able to focus their time and resources on meeting the needs of their pupils and school, rather than answering to local or national politicians and bureaucrats.

The Government insists extra freedoms given to the academies will drive up standards – but critics fear that poorer areas will be left behind, widening already stark educational divides.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said: “More than a thousand schools have now applied to be academies. A third of secondary schools are now either an academy or have started on the road to conversion.

“This represents a fundamental shift in power away from government and towards teachers. Teachers, not politicians or bureaucrats, know best how to run schools.

“Schools want the freedom to decide what is best for their pupils. They want to be free to innovate in the classroom, inspiring pupils to learn.

“Academy status gives them that freedom and is the reason why even more schools will follow these pioneers in the following months and years.”

Schools ranked as “outstanding” in their Ofsted report wanting to become academies were automatically fast-tracked for approval from June last year, but now the offer has been extended to special schools and other schools that are performing well.

The DfE records show bids from Churchfields School, Greendown Community School, The Ridgeway School and Kingsdown Secondary School were previously submitted. In addition, the information showed applications from Goddard Park Community Primary School and Warneford School, in Highworth, have been approved.

A damning Commons report published by the powerful Public Accounts Committee earlier this year warned schools may be putting themselves at financial risk by converting into independent academies.

The report opened up a new front in criticisms of the controversial academy programme, which Mr Gove believes is key to boosting educational standards.

Previous warnings have focused on fears that allowing “outstanding”’ schools to make the switch – and set their own curriculum, teaching hours and pay rates – will widen the gap between good and bad schools.