CLASSES at a school set to be merged into a privately-sponsored academy will be cancelled tomorrow(Thursday May 7), as teachers strike in protest at the plans.

Members of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) are to stage a one-day walkout at Belmont School, in Durham City.

It is expected classes for pupils in years seven to ten will be abandoned, although lessons will continue for year 11 pupils about to sit their GCSEs and youngsters in years 12 and 13 - the sixth form years.

The headteacher, Judith Wilkinson, has notified parents of the plans.

Durham County Council wants to close Belmont School Community Arts College and Durham Gilesgate Sports College and Sixth Form Centre, replacing them with a new-build 11-19 academy, co-sponsored by the council and the Durham Excellence in Education Partnership, led by Durham University.

Members of the NASUWT at Belmont unanimously voted to strike over the scheme.

Tonight, David Williams, the council's corporate director of children and young people's services, said: "We recognise that staff may have concerns and we have already arranged to meet trade union representatives to discuss these issues.

"It is disappointing that this industrial action, which could harm the education of young people, is going ahead before this meeting has taken place."

The authority also wants to create academies in Consett and Stanley, closing Moorside Community Technology College, Consett Community Sports College, Greencroft Business and Enterprise Community School and Stanley School of Technology.

It could take decisions on where the academies should be built in August, with the new schools opening as early as September 2012.