THE first in a series of information sessions about controversial proposals to transform secondary education in Darlington is being held today.

The sessions, run by Darlington Borough Council, will include further details of plans to build a £25m city academy in the town.

The Church of England-sponsored project would bring together Hurworth School and Eastbourne Comprehensive.

It has attracted severe criticism in Hurworth, where a campaign group was established to wage a battle to keep the village's secondary school in its present location.

Hurworth governors have also rejected the academy scheme, in favour of pursuing an expanded capacity for the school, together with foundation status.

However, the council insists that an academy would build on the achievements of both schools, as well as tackle the long-standing problem of surplus pupil places across the borough.

The academy would also be the base for an education improvement partnership, designed to raise achievements for all secondary school pupils in Darlington.

The first public information session will be at Dodmire Junior School today, at 6pm.

The next sessions will be held at Hurworth Primary School on Tuesday at 6pm, then St George's CoE Primary School on Thursday, January 12, at 4pm.

The authority stressed that the information sessions did not form part of the formal consultation into the academy proposal.