Small primary eyes switch in status

Kirkby Malham Primary in Malhamdale, which has fewer than 50 pupils from eight neighbouring villages, has expressed an interest in becoming an academy.

It was last visited by Ofsted four years ago when it was rated as being a good school.

Headteacher Gary McHale said that he hoped the next inspection would judge the school to be outstanding – meaning it would be pre-approved to join the Government's flagship scheme.

But he said the school had only registered an interest with the Department for Education to find out more about what it would

involve. "At the moment we buy back a lot of services from the local council but I understand that this could continue as an academy.

"The appeal of becoming an academy would be that it mean we would be free from the tinkering of the local authority – of having to follow every initiative they are carrying out because there has been too much of that in the last couple of years."

Scores of primary schools across the region could become academies under the Government's plan to expand the programme.

A parents' group has been set up in a West Yorkshire village to voice concern about the local primary school's decision to register an interest in joining the programme.

Greetland Primary, near Halifax, is one of the 51 outstanding schools in Yorkshire to make a formal approach for more information.

The Greetland Information Group is hosting a meeting tomorrow at the village community centre from 6pm to discuss the issue.

A spokeswoman for the group said: "As parents we are asking for time, balanced information and consultation to be sure that their final decision is well informed and has the full support of all the community.

"We would therefore like to invite parents of all children in the village and anyone else interested in the community to a public meeting to express our concerns and listen to views from all sides."