We have just found out that Ounsdale High School, along with crestwood School in Kingswinford, Edgecliff High School in Kinver and Ellowes Hall Sports College in Lower Gornal are planning on joining forces to become an academy.

The four schools are set to team up to forge a plan to become a multi-academy trust entitled Invictus (named after the poem by William Ernest Henley).

The plan is to create a higher level of learning experience, based on the wisdom that if you aren’t moving forward you’re moving backwards.

The final decision on the change will be made by the Secretary of State for Education and if the go-ahead is given conversion to academy status could take place in November.

We’ll bring you more news when we have the official statement from Ounsdale, but this is exciting news for the village.