Change to academy status being 'forced through' at school
The chair of governors at a struggling Northampton secondary school earmarked to be an academy says the specialist technology college is being 'forced' to adopt the new status by local authority officials.
Roger Webb, who is in charge of the governing body at Weston Favell School, said it wanted a further 12 months' grace before plans were put forward to become an academy.
Northamptonshire County Council, which is in charge of education, wants to convert the Booth Lane South school into an academy.
Local authority education officials believe it will help improve standards at the school which has been designated a National Challenge School – where fewer than 30 per cent of students gain five GCSE passes in C and above, including English and maths.
Mr Webb said: "It (the proposal) has been forced on us. Academy status is not something we asked for. The new headteacher Dr Tracey Jones has changed the curriculum to make improvements such as giving extra time to certain subjects but these will not take effect for another year because GCSEs are a two-year process."
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Mr Webb said the school had already lost seven academic days because of the construction work to its building and moving students to one central site.
There are three academies in Northamptonshire and a further four proposed for September 2009. One of them involves Unity College as well as Weston Favell School.
Academies can bring in advantages in the form of extra funding and additional expertise.
However they have been criticised because it involves transferring public ownership of a school to a private company.
Mr Webb said: "We know, as a National Challenge School, there was always the chance of becoming an academy but this was supposed to be a three-year process.
"As a school, we want to be as positive as possible and think of what is best for our students."
A spokesman for the county council said the local authority wanted to raise standards as quickly and effectively as possible.
He said: "We believe that transforming Weston Favell secondary school into an academy would accelerate the school's improvement and provide greater learning opportunities for its students.
"In addition, we recognise the uncertainty that these situations can present for students, families and staff and therefore we believe that to proceed without unnecessary delay is the best course of action for all involved."
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