School bid to become academy is area's first ; Head says it will give flexibility

THE new head teacher of St Martin's School has announced plans toturn the secondary into an academy.

In a first for the borough, Mike O'Sullivan is planning to breakaway from local authority control and apply for academy status.

It's a move that will land the Hutton school an extra Pounds800,000 funding each year.

Governors at the Hanging Hill Lane secondary voted to take theleap of faith into the academy sector at a meeting on September 23.Plans were then revealed on pupils' return from half term on Monday.

Mr O'Sullivan said: "The move to academy status will promote theoutstanding progress of education as usual at St Martin's, but themessage …