BAXTER College will become a Church of England school under the reorganisation - but super head, Dave Seddon, is unlikely to remain at the helm.

Just two weeks after being voted West Midlands Headteacher of the Year, Mr Seddon said it was "unlikely" that he would apply for the headship of a faith school.

He added he was shocked by the decision and claimed the move to voluntary controlled status would also disadvantage a number of staff.

But he added: "I am a standard bearer for education. We have to look at what education will be like in 20 years time. We have to sow the seeds now and there will be winners and losers."

Diocesan director of education, Rev David Morphy, welcomed the move to create a Church of England secondary school in Wyre Forest.

He said that although the school would have a local catchment area he hoped a number of foundation places would be negotiated with the LEA to enable church-going pupils from elsewhere in the district to enjoy a CE-based secondary education.

Mr Morphy said the creation of a church secondary school would make up for the loss of 800 CE secondary places lost through the closure of Wyre Forest's four CE middle schools.

On the axing of middle schools, he said: "We would like clear evidence that the two-tier system will be beneficial to the children both in terms of their education and pastoral care and we have not had that evidence."

Mr Morphy said he was "extremely disappointed" that the LEA had not agreed to turn Spennells and Marlpool schools into voluntary controlled primary schools when the CE first schools of St Barnabas and Stone are merged with them.

Mr Morphy acknowledged that both the sites of St Barnabas and Stone were restricted in terms of turning them into primary schools with the extra intake of another two years.

He added: "Both communities will feel a heavy loss. There is a lot of confidence in them and they are close to their parish churches.

"The children will not be able to use the church for their learning as they do now and that will be a big loss. Also parents value small schools where they feel their children are part of a large family."