Pioneering school to reopen as an academy at the start of term

It will open its doors with a new name – Leeds City Academy – which was chosen by pupils.

The school in Woodhouse is part of a new academies trust which is being led by Leeds City College.

The White Rose Academies Trust has also taken on both Leeds West and Leeds East Academies which were left without a sponsor after the national chain E-ACT pulled out amid concerns about its performance earlier this year. The two Leeds academies were among 10 schools nationally which were left without a sponsor after E-ACT decided to withdraw.

Academies are run autonomously and are not part of the local council education authority.

Each academies is backed by a trust which acts as a sponsor and is responsible for its leadership and governance.

Leeds City Council has signed over the City of Leeds School to become part of the White Rose Academies Trust.

The Department for Education had already approved the conversion. The school has considered renaming itself Leeds International School to reflect its cosmopolitan intake – with pupils from more than 50 different countries across the world.