AN outstanding school is a few months away from being one of a handful of primaries across England to become an academy.Martham Primary was on Wednesday given the go-ahead by the government to change its status - one of just seven primary schools across England that are set to be academies by the end of the calendar year.

AN outstanding school is a few months away from being one of a handful of primaries across England to become an academy.

Martham Primary was on Wednesday given the go-ahead by the government to change its status - one of just seven primary schools across England that are set to be academies by the end of the calendar year.

It was joined in a list of 142 mainly secondary schools that are in the first wave to switch since July's Academies Act made it possible for schools to become academies at any stage.

Also on the list is Hartismere High School at Eye in Suffolk, which is one of 32 that will be academies when they open their doors for the new school year next week.

The remaining 110, including Martham Primary, will change “over the coming months”, according to education secretary Michael Gove.

Mr Gove made the announcement 24 hours after confirming that months of uncertainty had ended for four would-be academies in Norfolk, including Oriel High at Gorleston, with consent given to open with the new status in the next few days. However, funding for “landmark” buildings still hangs in the balance.

The move will see Oriel High reopen on Monday as the Ormiston Venture Academy, sponsored by Ormiston Academies Trust with a new uniform and a new headteacher.

For the time being it will continue to operate in its existing buildings. There is now a growing acceptance that the projects will be scaled back.

Trevor Wainwright, governor at Oriel High, said: “It would be nice to receive the full amount of money that we expected - not just for the school but for the whole community. We hope all the money will be forthcoming. I will certainly be disappointed if not.”