Schools debate investment chance

Schools say they could benefit from extra investment

Five Cornish secondary schools are considering breaking away from county council control.

St Ives, Cape Cornwall, Mounts Bay, Hayle and Humphry Davy schools are looking into the possibility of creating a self-governing trust.

Unions have said they fear a break up of the comprehensive system in Cornwall and a change could affect their members' rights and conditions.

The schools say it could bring millions of pounds of extra investment.

We would be interested in pursuing it for the future of our young people Sarah Davey, head teacher at Mounts Bay School

Schools which want to leave county council control can enter a partnership with an outside body to form a trust, which would then create a new ethos for that school, as well as controlling its admissions, staffing, and assets.

The government believes this will stimulate innovation and energise management of the school.

Sarah Davey, head teacher at Mounts Bay, said the move could "only help" the schools, which are all in the Penwith area.

"The government is planning to put collaborative partnerships at the top of the list for extra funding," she said.

"In Penwith, which hasn't had a lot of money spent on buildings over the years, we would be interested in pursuing it for the future of our young people."

'Supportive partners'

Fiona Westwood of the teachers' union the NASUWT said: "Once a trust is formed the trustees are in charge of that body through each of the individual governing bodies and they can make decisions to change more or less anything."

David Wood, from the county council, said schools could break away following consultation with the public and governors.

"We can't stop it, but we would seek to be supportive partners," he said.

Only one other secondary school in Cornwall, Callington Community College, has left local authority control.

The Penwith schools are planning to meet in May.