FOUR Salisbury Plain schools are set to officially come together on Friday to form a multi-academy trust.

Avon Valley College, Durrington Infants, Bulford St Leonard's and St Michael's Figheldean will be known as the Salisbury Plain Academies and have come together ahead of a planned relocation of 4,000 troops as part of the army rebasing programme.

The influx of soldiers will see the demand for school places on the Salisbury Plain soar with Wiltshire Council aiming to provide another 1,200 places.

Current work planned includes a new 420 place St Michael’s school at Larkhill as well as expansion at Bulford St Leonard’s and Avon Valley.

CEO Helen Mathieson, CEO of the multi-academy trust, said: "The schools will deliver all through education, 0 to 18, which will allow shared skills and shared opportunities for professional development of staff and experiences for children.

"But at the very forefront of that drive for improved educational standards is the determination to work together in partnership to enable Salisbury Plain Academies to offer the very best educational experience to all of the children in their communities.

"[The new academy trust has] the potential to become a hub of excellence, a reflective leader of learning, a provider of all-through education that enables children and young people to develop their skills and potential."

Schools which gain academy status are free from local government control, but still retain state funding.

They gain more autonomy over staff pay and can gain up to ten per cent more in funding as the council need to hold back money to provide specialist education.

Three of the schools are church schools and the move has the backing of the Diocese of Salisbury.

Canon Joy Tubbs from the Diocese of Salisbury said: "The Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education is thrilled to support the schools, both church and community, as they form their academy trust.

"How exciting it is that the children of the villages across the Plain are going to benefit from this exciting partnership. I commend the leadership of the Trust for the way in which they have been determined to place children’s needs first, to secure a really strong future for education in the area and placing children at the heart of decision making."