Schools that have expressed an interest in becoming privately-run academies can today be revealed.

Schools in thr Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire are among the 1,100 to register an interest.

But in Wolverhampton, not a single school wants to take up the offer. The government has been under pressure to name the interested schools since education secretary Michael Gove gave them all schools the option of becoming free from council control.

Nicola Davis, headteacher at Aldersley High School, said: “As a foundation school the governors will give consideration to the benefits it would bring.”

Headteacher of Moreton Community School in Bushbury, Carl Williams said: “The governors have decided that this is not something we are looking at.”

In Sandwell, two outstanding schools – Wood Green High School College and Tividale Community Primary School – have expressed an interest.

Wood Green headteacher Pank Patel said letters had been sent to parents informing them it was something they were considering.

Dudley schools Milking Bank Primary, Windsor High and Greenfield Primary want to take up the offer. Six others, including Ellowes Hall Sports College and The Earls High School, have said they may be interested.

Twelve Walsall schools have registered an interest, among them Ryders Hayes School, Pelsall, whose chairman of governors Les Foster said that they would apply if it was in the best interest of pupils, staff, parents and the community.

Academies are state-funded schools managed by sponsors which could include businesses and universities.

They are set up with the backing of the local authority and sometimes can even be co-sponsored by the local authority.

Headteacher and a governing body manage academies, the majority of which is usually appointed by the sponsor.

By Education Reporter Catherine Dalton