UPPER Eden’s secondary schools will join the increasing number of Academies in the county when the new term begins next week.
Appleby Grammar School and Kirkby Stephen Grammar School both received approval from the Department for Education to change their status at the end of the last academic year.
Kirkby Stephen Grammar School will become a Co-operative Academy Trust and will work alongside Kirkby Stephen Primary School to offer support.
Appleby Grammar School will strengthen its links with Appleby Primary School and partner primaries in its catchment area as well as working with existing partners like Appleby Heritage Centre.
Andrew Lund, head teacher of AGS, said: “Academy status will provide exciting new opportunities for students, staff and the local community. We look forward to the additional freedoms that will be available to us, as well as the tremendous opportunity to strengthen relationships with other Eden schools.”
Elsewhere, governers at Coniston’s John Ruskin School have agreed to proceed with an application to convert to academy status by the end of the autumn term.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here