CONCERNS have been allayed over the proposed Newton Academy, which would combine two Newton secondary schools.

Sponsors of the proposed new academy - the Church of England Diocese of Liverpool, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool and Hope University - have given written assurance that staff at the new school would be employed on nationally-agreed terms and conditions.

This means that teachers are more likely to remain at the existing schools - Newton High and St Aelred's - reducing the amount of disruption to pupils' education.

This clarification followed a meeting that took place before Christmas with the sponsors and trade union representatives to discuss plans for the Newton Academy.

Robin Pye, secretary of St Helens branch of teachers union the NUT, said: "We have also asked the sponsors to give a written assurance that they will offer every youngster in Newton-le-Willows who wants one a place at the new academy. We think that this is what the sponsors would like to be able to do, but we have not seen the words on the paper that would make this clear.

"What we do not want to see is a situation where the new academy uses lack of places as a reason to turn away pupils who are less academically able or may present additional challenges.

"This would only result in such pupils being dumped on neighbouring schools."

Mr Pye added: "Our union remains opposed to the principle of academies. We see no reason why our schools cannot benefit from additional investment and remain accountable to the communities they serve and under local authority control.

"With any academy proposal we are being asked to trust that the sponsors will run the school in the best interests of the community indefinitely without any clear mechanism of accountability."

The decision about the merging of the schools to form a joint faith academy could be made by May this year, meaning that the academy would open in 2011.