Lymm High takes academy step (From Warrington Guardian)

Lymm High takes academy step

9:30am Monday 17th September 2012 in News

LYMM High School has become the first in the town to convert into an academy.

The school’s academy status was confirmed officially on Wednesday.

Speaking after conversion was announced, Angela Walsh, head teacher, said: “Today we celebrate a new chapter in our long history as a school by our conversion to an Academy.

“Our new name, as from today, is Lymm High School, an independent state school.

“This new status will give us more autonomy and resources to support our vision of providing an outstanding education for all our pupils.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has given of their time and supported this process, particularly the school governors, our parents and our very many community partners and, most importantly, our young people whose energy, enthusiasm and creative ideas have been exceptional throughout the complex stages of this process.

“We look forward to exercising the freedoms our new status will inevitably bring us.”

Academies are a flagship Conservative policy that allows schools to operate outside of the council control.

They have autonomy to set the curriculum, opening hours, teacher’s pay and uniform.

The model has been criticised by trade unions as divisive, while Warrington Borough Council has also expressed concerns academies will disrupt the ‘family’ of schools in the town.