KENDAL’S two secondary schools are set to become academies on the same day as the Coalition government’s education shake-up sees increasing interest in making the change.

The Westmorland Gazette revealed last month that Queen Katherine School would become an academy on April 1 after a successful application to the Department for Education.

Now, Kirkbie Kendal School has revealed it will also join the academy fold on April 1 after a period of consultation with parents.

Kirkbie Kendal headteacher, Phil Hyman, said the school would not be changing its name and the admissions policy would stay the same.

“I am enthusiastic about the opportunities and freedoms that academy status will allow our school. I am delighted that our achievements and the service that we provide to our students have allowed our school to be recognised in this way,” said Mr Hyman.

He added that pupils wouldn’t notice major changes in terms of what they will be taught.

“The opportunities around changes to the national curriculum isn’t one of the freedoms that we would be particularly looking to change. We are happy with the curriculum already.”

Chair of Governors at the school, Nicola Crierie, said it was agreed that becoming an academy was a ‘natural progression’ for the school.

She said: “We have always looked to use the independence already provided to us as a foundation school to do the best for students and staff. The governors are delighted that the partnership within the South Lakes Federation of education providers will continue.”

Like Queen Katherine School, Kirkbie Kendal applied for academy status shortly after Education Secretary Michael Gove invited school heads to make the change.

In December, Queen Elizabeth School in Kirkby Lonsdale switched to academy status and, since then, more have followed.

Mr Hyman said the long term aspirations for South Lakeland’s schools was down the academy route.

“The eight schools in the South Lakes Federation are interested in academy developments so our intention is to be a Federation of Academies - that is where we see ourselves going.”

Academy schools are taken out of Local Education Authority (LEA) control and set up with the support of private backers, such as businesses, but they are still maintained by central government.

As a result of being out of traditional council control, it allows academies to secure additional funding from other sources, making the move an attractive one for headteachers and governors.