Two more schools in the county are set to be merged to form a £25million academy.

Staff, pupils and parents have been told Medway Council wants to close Chatham South School and Medway Community College in 2010.

The proposal follows a similar plan for Chapter and Temple schools in Strood, which caused huge controversy when it was announced last year.

It looks certain a third academy will be proposed in the near future. The Chatham academy would be built on the MCC site in Magpie Hall Road.

Council education chief Rose Collinson said Chatham South was a good, popular school, but it could not expand on its present site in Letchworth Avenue.

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MCC was placed in special measures earlier this year after an Ofsted inspection and is already getting help from Chatham South.

Ms Collinson said: "The status quo is not an option."

See Monday's Medway Messenger for the full story.