TROWBRIDGE headteacher Andy Packer has welcomed the Government’s decision to allow the school he runs – John of Gaunt School – to become an academy.

School bosses have received a letter from Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove confirming the Government has deemed John of Gaunt to be worthy of academy status.

The decision means the school could become an academy from as early as January, although their preferred date is April 1.

Mr Packer said: “This is a really positive step for our school. It is showing our intention to join some of the best schools in the country as an academy, a status which is only available those schools deemed at least good with some outstanding features by Ofsted.”

Deputy headteacher Mike Gumston, who is leading the school’s project to become an academy, said: “Becoming an academy will give us a whole new freedom surrounding our finances and how we teach the curriculum.

“We have a fantastic relationship with the local authority, but this is all about the school coming into its own.”

The school already plays a pivotal role in the Trowbridge community by providing a base from which 22 schools network.

This position will be strengthened by moving to academy status because academy schools are encouraged to create strong links with feeder schools.

A second round of consultation with teaching staff at the school will now take place, after the school’s governors appoint solicitors to complete all the legal background work before the status can be made official.

Academy plans have been criticised at other schools because of fears it removes the vital safety net which the local authority offers.

This can be crucial when things go wrong, but those supporting academies say the extra money the schools receive can transform their fortunes.

Mr Gumston added: “We are working toward a date in April to make the switch because this will give us a nice run-in before the exam period next year.”

The school has also confirmed that if it does become an academy, it will not change its name or introduce a new school uniform.