Cash-hit grammar school bids to become academy

Batley Grammar, which has been a fee-paying school for more than 30 years, hopes to double in size by becoming Government funded.

It hopes to achieve academy status by 2011 or 2012 and has held talks with the Department for Children, Schools and Families about submitting an expression of interest.

Headteacher Brigid Tullie said the move would allow the school to return to its founding aims in the 17th century of providing a broad education for the Batley community.

The school, which has 350 pupils, hopes the academy would continue to serve children from three to 18 years old.

She told the Yorkshire Post many pupils had told her they had decided to leave the school at 16 because their parents could not afford the fees. Numbers at the school have declined since the assisted places scheme was scrapped by the incoming Labour Government in 1997.

"Batley Grammar School has been part of the community for four centuries and it has only been totally independent and fee-paying for the last few decades. Even then the assisted places scheme allowed us to offer up to 50 per cent of our places to those who were unable to pay. We still operate a generous bursaries scheme, but the recession has limited its scope and resources.

"We are not what many consider to be the typical independent school, and our parents represent all sections of the community. Currently many parents struggle with school fees but becoming an academy could allow motivated parents and students to secure the experience of Batley Grammar School as envisaged by its founder, William Lee in 1612. It was his aim that the school should provide a broad education for those within Batley and the surrounding areas who wished to enter higher education or the professions."

Academies were originally launched by the Labour Government to transform the fortunes of struggling inner-city schools. Those that were failing would be closed to make way for a new school in a new building backed by a private sponsor.

The programme has, however, broadened since then with many successful schools becoming academies and the Government inviting the independent sector to apply for academy status.

Academies are funded directly from Government and are run independent from local council control. There are currently 22 across Yorkshire.

Mrs Tullie said Batley Grammar would not need a significant building project to be an academy. Academies are given extra funding to specialise in particular subjects with Batley Grammar considering specialising in maths and computing.

She added: "We have seen in South Manchester and Bristol how a mix of local authority schools and a family of academies, including ex independent schools, is beginning to lever up standards and work together collaboratively.

"Many new academies cost in excess of 30m to create; we have well maintained buildings and modern facilities, and a capacity to expand if necessary, at a more modest cost. Our trustees would also lend excellent experience and some additional funding."