School to go it alone

Newark’s Magnus Church of England secondary school is to go it alone and become an academy.

The school believes the move offers it the best chance of continuing to drive up standards.

The chairman of governors, Mr Michael Arlington, said secondary education in the town had historically had a raw deal from Nottinghamshire County Council.

“We will be in charge of our own destiny,” he said.

Mr Arlington said there had been a lack of financial investment in secondary education in Newark over many years, and a lack of direction.

The Magnus wants academy status by September 2013.

It will be the second county academy sponsored by the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham and will leave the control of the education authority, Nottinghamshire County Council.

Despite that it will still receive £2.5m for an extensive refurbishment, as it no longer meets the Government’s criteria for a rebuild.

As an academy the Magnus would be funded by central Government.

It would have a far greater say in how it spends its money and in determining its own curriculum.

A decision has yet to be made on a possible partner for the academy and what its area of speciality will be.

The school’s head, Mrs Gil Barker, said: “We are excited about working with the diocese.

“The support of the local education authority has been dire. It was time to take the bull by the horns.

“This is in part down to necessity to continue our progress. We will continue to buy in any services from the county council that we feel appropriate.

“Parents and children can be reassured this will not mean massive changes for them but it will be to the betterment of Magnus.

“We will take a lot of the past — the reason why Thomas Magnus set up education in Newark — and continue to move forward.”

The school went into special measures in 2008, but has been improving since then.

in Newark — and continue to move forward.”

The school went into special measures in 2008, and came out in 2010.

The county council’s service director for education standards and inclusion, Mr John Slater, said: “The county council has supported the Magnus School strongly in recent years.

“We were instrumental in setting up a partnership with the Magnus under the National Challenge Trust arrangements of the previous Government.

“Over £700,000 was negotiated to fund that partnership and this has been vital in the improvements seen at the school.

“The council has sought to improve the quality of the secondary school buildings in Newark, particularly through its designation of the former Grove School as its proposed first new build in the Building Schools for the Future initiative of the last Government.

“We have supported the Grove into its new academy status, and will continue to support Magnus School into its sponsored academy status also.

“We’re confident these arrangements will provide an improved quality of education for the young people of Newark.”