EAST Lancashire may be one of the first areas on the country to see the creation of a City Academy.

Education chiefs in Blackburn are considering whether an existing community high school should be transformed into a Church of England School -- or one of the new academies.

City academies are the Government's latest big idea to raise educational standards in "disadvantaged and needy areas."

So far, 14 are planned nationwide and private sponsors are being invited to apply for a share in their running. Industrial philanthropists and sports promoters are already involved in the process, as well as religious groups.

Most are being set up in established schools. Nine of the pioneering 14 are in London and others are likely to be in Manchester, Liverpool and the North-East.

Each academy will receive an immediate £10million cash boost, with about £2million of this from private sponsorship.

The Government says the academies are being set up with the support of local education authorities. Its recent White Paper reported it wanted to see 20 in operation by 2005.

All academies will be independent of the state system but will still work closely with the LEA.

Teachers' leaders are sceptical. The National Union of Teachers said the academies were a "monumental irrelevance."