Kenilworth School will become an academy

Although not all of the school’s 15 governors voted to convert, the decision passed with a ‘significant majority’ following a short discussion on Tuesday November 8.

When asked if she was confident if this was the right decision for Kenilworth, chair of governors Sue Casey said: “I am, because it’s not a decision that’s been made lightly or politically.

“It’s been getting on for a year to research and debate this to make an informed decision.

“It wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction - it was a decision led by governors aiming to get the best possible education for the children of Kenilworth.

“What happens next is a formal application needs to be made to the Department for Education (DfE). The DfE will assign us a lead officer to help our application.

“There will be a working group set up at the school to do that.

“We’re aiming to convert by September 1 but this could change.”

Once the application has been made to the DfE and it is accepted, the DfE will issue Kenilworth School with an academy order, allowing Kenilworth to convert.

The school plans to be the head of a multi-academy trust, which will incorporate other schools within it. Governors have not decided what schools will be included yet.

Academies are able to set their own curriculum, admissions policy, term times and pay for teachers.

Kenilworth School’s governors have said they will only accept pupils from Kenilworth itself if it became an academy, and not from the proposed development at King’s Hill as part of Warwick district’s Local Plan.