A WHARFEDALE councillor is urging local schools to get "back to normal" after the Government's U-turn regarding academies.

Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, announced earlier this month that plans to force all schools to become academies by 2022 had been abandoned – though the Government will still be 'encouraging' the change.

Recently re-elected Councillor Sandy Lay (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon), a retiring governor at an Otley school, says the decision is a "step in the right direction".

He also hopes local schools can now get back to focusing solely on education.

He added: "This is good news for both Otley and Yeadon.

"While academies can sometimes work, they are not the definitive answer in all situations.

"The headlong rush into academisation helped no-one and was distracting the very headteachers, leadership teams and governing boards that are tasked with educating our children.

"Now that this nonsense has been shelved, I’m urging the Family of Schools leadership teams to ‘park’ their discussions on academies and go back to concentrating on the first-rate education we all know they provide."

Academies are independently run but state-funded schools, overseen by an academy trust and often part of a chain.

Prince Henry's Grammar School in Otley converted to academy status in December, 2011, despite widespread public opposition.