MORE than 100 of the region's top schools will be urged to become “academies” within months – setting their own curriculum, pay rates and admissions policies – under an education revolution unveiled yesterday.

A flagship Bill in David Cameron's first Queen's Speech will allow all schools judged “outstanding” to opt out of local authority control – with the aim of fast-tracking the transformation by September.

Around 100 schools in Merseyside and North Cheshire have been awarded the top grade by watchdog Ofsted since 2007.

The highest number was in Sefton (24), followed by Liverpool (19), Wirral (16), Warrington (16), Halton (10), St Helens (8), Knowsley (7) and Chester West and Cheshire (6).

The Bill marks a dramatic expansion of the controversial academies programme, which – under Labour – was restricted to replacing struggling schools in poorer areas.

It would also allow primary schools to claim the new freedoms for the first time.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said: "Teachers know how to run schools, not bureaucrats or politicians.”

The Academies Bill would allow any school to apply to become an academy. The decision would be taken by the Department for Education – with the local council powerless to prevent it.

The legislation also paves the way for so-called “free schools” to be set up by private firms, charities and groups of parents.

Town halls would be stripped of powers to block proposals, which would be considered in a similar way to big infrastructure projects such as power stations and wind farms.