SEVEN schools in and around Melksham have voted to become part of an Academy Trust, following a consultation with parents and members of the public.

They are Melksham Oak Community School, Bowerhill Primary, Seend CofE VA Primary, Shaw CEVC Primary, St George’s CofE Primary in Semington, St Mary’s VC Primary in Broughton Gifford and The Manor CofE Primary.

The three primary schools in Melksham not joining the trust are River Mead, who are already part of The Mead Academy linked to The Mead school in Trowbridge, Aloeric and Forest and Sandridge.

The schools would no longer be governed by Wiltshire Council and the new Academy Trust of Melksham (ATOM) would receive money directly from the Secretary of State to choose how best to spend it.

Last month the schools held meetings inviting people to find out how the Multi-Academy Trust would work and benefit local children, by working together with joint objectives to enhance their education.

It would oversee the teaching of more than 2,200 pupils and employment of 300 staff members, one of the first trusts of this size.

A grant worth £304,000 has already been secured from the Department for Education to set up the ATOM.

Each school would continue to have its own local governing body, but a group of members would act as stakeholders and appoint a board of trustees which ultimately would be accountable and responsible for the performance of all schools in the trust.

Melksham Oak is due to become an academy by next month, after receiving approval from the DfE. This week headteacher Steve Clark said they were hoping for some big news in the very near future.

In a newsletter to parents, headteacher Gordon Campbell of St George’s Primary, Semington, said: “This is a huge decision for all the schools and the fact that the vote is unanimous is due to all the time and effort the governors have put in to this - particularly those, over a period of almost a year, more directly involved in the Shadowboard.”