Parents march in protest over West Midlands school plans

Brandishing placards and petition sheets, dozens of parents descended on Cannock town centre to oppose plans to convert Norton Canes and Heath Hayes primary schools in Staffordshire into academies.

It comes after more than 700 people signed petitions.

Meanwhile, parents in Sandwell have launched a campaign to try to stop Galton Valley Primary School, in Smethwick, being taken over by London-based Oasis Community Learning.

Around 50 parents gathered in Cannock town centre to make their feelings known over plans for Norton Canes Primary and Heath Hayes Primary schools.

It came as it was revealed the governing bodies at both schools will be removed and replaced with an interim executive board (IEB).

Parents and pupils marched on the Cannock town centre offices of Chase MP Aidan Burley to hand in the petition.

The Department for Education is looking at turning the two schools into sponsor-run academies after they were both put into special measures by Ofsted inspectors.

But parents claim the move is being forced on them. Pam Ferraby, whose 10-year-old son Benedict attends Heath Hayes Primary School, said: "The school has put things into place to make things better since the Ofsted inspection but we feel like academy status is being forced on the school." The Department for Education has said a consultation will be held before a final decision is made by the secretary of state.

Meanwhile, the Save Galton Valley Campaign Group held a demonstration outside the Brasshouse Lane school yesterday to show the strength of feeling against the proposals.

The school was placed in special measures last February and told it must improve. In a bid to improve the school, government bosses want it to sign up to become an academy and have asked school governors to consider three sponsors.

But governors and community leaders say they are being put under pressure to sign up to the plan, and that the school will improve further without becoming an academy.

A petition of more than 400 signatures has also been collected. Chairman of the Save Galton Valley Campaign Group, Mr Soyfur Rahman said: "We are very concerned that Michael Gove can totally ignore the wishes of parents and play politics with our children's education."

Last year, David Cameron said he wants 400 of the country's weakest primary schools to become academies by the end of 2013.