Plans to bring together two Ashford schools to create Kent’s first all-age academy have taken a major step forward.

County councillors have given the go-ahead for public consultation to get underway on a proposal that would see Ashford’s Christ Church School and Linden Grove Primary School close and re-open as an academy in 2010.

The academy, involving a multi-million pound cash injection from the Government, would cater for 1,700 pupils, making it one of the largest schools in the county.

It would specialise in technology, incorporate a sixth form and under Kent County Council’s scheme is likely to involve new buildings on both sites.

The academy would continue as a Church of England school and is expected to be sponsored by Canterbury Christ Church University and KCC. Talks are also being held about linking the academy with another high-performing secondary school.

The primary school would cater for about 420 pupils, while the secondary school would have about 1,050. The sixth form would take 250 pupils aged 16-to-19.

County education chiefs say the aim is to change the fortunes of the two schools and boost standards. Christ Church is among 30 secondary schools in Kent identified by the Government as those where standards need to be improved because of poor GCSE results.

Ashford county councillor Derek Smyth (Lab) welcomed the plans but urged KCC to ensure the new governing body included representatives of the local community.

In a separate proposal, consultation is also to get underway on plans for a new sixth form for the North School. Under the Kent County Council plan, the school, which currently has about 850 pupils, would open a sixth form to students in September and would eventually cater for 185 students. The school has recently been redeveloped and there is also a plan for a vocational study centre, jointly funded by the school and Hadlow College.