Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School to become academy (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School to become academy

1:30pm Friday 14th September 2012 in News

ONE of East Lancashire’s top schools has confirmed it is to convert into an academy, despite teachers staging a walk-out over the plans earlier this summer.

The controversial move from Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School will mean that from next month it will become an independent academy.

In a letter to parents, headmaster Alan Porteous and chairman of governors David King stated that the transfer ‘would not alter the nature or ethos of the school’.

The governors said the move gave them greater control of its budget and a chance to diversify its curriculum. Despite the change from foundation school, the school’s name would remain the same.

Academy plans have been controversial across the county, with the government demanding failing schools be converted.

A successful campaign was launched in Nelson to halt Walverden Primary School from becoming an academy. The BRGS letter said: “Conversion to academy status is the best option for safeguarding the ethos, the quality of provision and the high standards of the school.

“The organisation and running of the school will see little change on a daily basis.”

But Lancashire NUT secretary Sam Ud-din said he had met with school and union representatives to express their dismay.

He said: “There are new arrivals at the school who only joined last year and they were not warned of the plans to become an academy.”

John Girdley, Lancashire representative for the NASUWT, said his members had a feeling of ‘resignation’.