DESPITE a number of protests, as highlighted in recent letters pages of the Courier, the governing body of Queen Elizabeth's Community College has decided to convert the college from being a Local Authority maintained school to becoming an Academy, with effect from April 1.

In a press release issued last week, QECC said that the decision had been made "following an extensive and wide ranging consultation".

The Courier broke the story of the governors' proposal, that it become an Academy directly funded by central government (the Department for Education) and is independent of local government control, in our issue on December 24.

The latest release says: "The governors feel that given the current financial climate, Academy status gives the college the best opportunity to maintain the existing staffing levels, the resources and support for students that makes the real difference in enabling our young people to achieve the most of which they are capable."

It continues: "The college has no intention of changing the emphasis we have on working closely with other schools and particularly our partner primary schools.

"We are deeply committed to the wider educational community of Devon and will do everything we can to develop the patterns of mutual support we will need over the next few years in the light of the diminishing role and capacity of the Local Authority.

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