Henrietta Barnett registers academy interest

THE Henrietta Barnett School is deciding whether or not to become an Academy and opt out of local authority control. The selective girls grammar has registered an interest with the Department for Education. Jo Velleman, development director at the scho

THE Henrietta Barnett School is deciding whether or not to become an Academy and opt out of local authority control.

The selective girls' grammar has "registered an interest" with the Department for Education. Jo Velleman, development director at the school, stressed that it had not applied to be fast-tracked under the new Academies Bill.

She said: "The Henrietta Barnett School, along with many other schools, has registered interest in applying for academy status, in order to receive the appropriate paperwork, to enable the governors to investigate the matter further and take a decision on what is in the best long term interests of the school.

"The school is not applying through the fast track system, despite being qualified to do so as an outstanding school but anticipates that the decision on whether or not to apply will take some months."

Meanwhile, UCL and the Swiss Cottage Specialist School are still waiting to hear from the government whether or not they will receive the funding to go ahead with the new academy and specialist school in Adelaide Road.

Rosemary Leeke, headteacher of South Camden Community School has written to Mr Gove arguing why the school desperately needs to be refurbished. In her letter, she warned that the school is due to expand by 60 places a year and there will not be space for the children unless the re-build goes-ahead.