Plans to create three new school academies have taken a major step forward.

County councillors today gave the go-ahead for public consultation to get under way on three separate proposals involving four secondary schools and a cash injection of millions of pounds under the Government’s academy programme.

Among the proposals is the creation of Kent’s first academy, bringing together a secondary school and a primary school under one headteacher and governing body.

If approved, Ashford’s Christ Church School and Linden Grove Primary School will both close and re-open as an academy catering for 1,700 children in 2010, making it among the largest schools in the county.

The academy would specialise in technology, incorporate a sixth form and under KCC’s scheme is likely to involve new buildings on both sites.

The academy, which would continue as a Church of England school, 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 academy scheme is aimed at changing the fortunes of the two schools and boosting standards. Christ Church is among 30 secondary schools in Kent identified by the Government as those where standards need to be improved.

The other proposals involve the merger of two secondary schools in west Kent, the Bradbourne School for Girls and the Wildernesse School for Boys, to create an academy in Sevenoaks, opening in September 2009.

Consultation will also start on closing Tunbridge Wells High School and re-opening it as an academy in the autumn.