Other city academies are planned across the country

The United Learning Trust (ULT) is bidding to turn Waltheof and Myrtle Springs into academies.

The application includes plans for a joint "14 to 19" centre offering a mix of academic and vocational courses and a sixth form at Myrtle Springs.

Neither school will be denominational under the plans, the councillor for education, Angela Smith, said.

This is an exciting development for us and a great opportunity for regeneration in Sheffield Sir Ewan Harper, ULT chief executive

ULT, a subsidiary of the United Church Schools Trust, already sponsors academies in Manchester, Northampton and Lambeth.

Facilities in Paddington in London and Salford are scheduled to open in 2006, while plans are also in place for an academy in Barnsley.

City academies were conceived as replacements for failing inner-city schools, giving them greater freedom in an attempt to raise educational achievement.

Both schools have already made significant improvements in the last few years, the council said, and the bid is seen as a way of accelerating their progress.

Andy Gardiner, head teacher at Waltheof, said: "State-of-the-art facilities and the freedom to do things differently mean the chance to realise a lot of dreams we have had for our school and its young people."

Christian values

Parents in Conisbrough, near Doncaster, are currently fighting plans to turn Northcliffe School into a college run by another Christian charity.

The Emmanuel Schools Foundation has attracted controversy because it promotes the teaching of creationism.

But the council said Myrtle Springs and Waltheof would remain part of the larger school community in Sheffield.

Ms Smith said ULT was dedicated to providing education based on Christian principles of service and tolerance to children of all faiths.

"Neither of these schools will be turned into denominational schools," she added, "both ULT and the council share common principles about how we wish our schools to be run."

Sir Ewan Harper, chief executive of ULT, said: "This is an exciting development for us and a great opportunity for regeneration in Sheffield.

"Sheffield will join a family of academies dedicated to enriching the lives of local children and giving their communities schools and facilities to be proud of."

If the application is approved, the new academies could be open in September 2006, the council said.