Parkwood High School at Shirecliffe will begin a seven week consultation period on the proposals next week, which would see the school pairing up with educational charity Edutrust.

Edutrust, founded by Muslim businessman and "people's peer" Lord Bhatia, is new to the academy programme.

Parkwood would become one of its first schools. But unlike Myrtle Springs and Waltheof, which became the city's first two academies, there is no promise of any major rebuilding. programme.

As part of the second wave of academies, Parkwood will have to wait its turn for investment through the existing Building Schools for the Future programme.

It will receive a £2 million endowment, which will provide up to £75,000 in extra funding each year.

Headteacher Chris Mallaband said Parkwood was seeking to build on its existing strengths, with the school recently rated by inspectors as 'good with many outstanding features'.

He said: "The school has already been transformed from what it was through the Fresh Start programme - we are now looking for a partner who can take us that next step."


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Parkwood is the first school seeking to change its status since secondaries were asked to consider their futures by city education chiefs earlier this year. It decided to go down the academy route following a preliminary consultation of staff, parents and the community in the spring.

The next stage is to set up a neighbourhood commission - a panel of 10 parents and parent governors led by a councillor.

Consultation takes place from December 3 to January 25 with two public meetings planned as well as surgeries and written submissions.

If this is positive, a further Government-sanctioned consultation process will take place next year, with the academy due to open in September 2009.

Councillors must also agree to the changes, which will see the existing school closed and a newly named academy formed with a new governing body.

"Edutrust share many of our values, such as inclusion, community regeneration and a multi-faith and multi-cultural approach," Mr Mallaband said.

Chair of governors Claire Holden said the new body would be accountable to the community and would be broadly similar to the current one.

"The local authority will still have a remit for monitoring standards of education," she added.

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