A PENDLE school has announced that it is considering converting to academy status.

West Craven High School in Barnoldswick will open the consultation process on Wednesday, November 9, which will end on Monday, December 7.

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If the school decides to break away from Lancashire County Council it would join others in Pendle to make the change including Colne Primet Academy and Pendle Vale in Nelson.

The move has been welcomed by Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson but the National Union of Teachers in East Lancashire has called for parents to think carefully about the decision.

Chair of governors Malcolm Sterratt, in a letter to parents, said: “ Governors have started looking at whether it is right for West Craven to convert to academy status, and if so, when to do so.

“We are committed to making sure the needs of our students and staff remain paramount, and that if we should decide to make this change there is no disruption to learning.”

Simon Jones, who represents the NUT in the region, said that converting to an academy is an ‘irreversible step’ and one that would be a ‘distraction’ to the management of the school. He said: “Parents should look long and hard about this as there is no evidence that shows that being an academy is actually a good thing.

“More and more are failing and the myth of academies has well and truly been exposed.”

Pendle MP Mr Stephenson said: “I think that West Craven has been going from strength to strength and this will be another step forward for the school.”