A SUCCESSFUL primary school is set to become the latest to make the switch to academy status.
Chipstead Valley Primary School is expected to convert into an academy later this year, with a view to sponsoring at least one weaker school to help it improve.
Head governor Edward Denley said the move, which will take the Coulsdon school out of Croydon Council's control and give it some extra money and freedoms, was initiated by the Government.
He said: "The Department for Education came to us in the autumn and said they would like us to convert to an academy with a view to partnering with other schools.
"The governing body thought about it and decided we want to do this because we feel there is a moral imperative to help out schools as best we can."
Led by head teacher Mark Rosewell, the school was rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted in its latest inspection in 2012.
The Government is encouraging leading schools to become academies and take responsibility for strugglers. Gonville primary, in Thornton Heath, did so in 2010.
Mr Denley said governors were "disposed to the suggestion", citing the extra financial freedoms and benefits.
He said: "One of the advantages academies have is that they have some freedom to set the remuneration of staff so they can reward good performance.
"So I think in the longer term, as more schools become academies, the better teachers will gravitate to schools that are academies."
The school's relationship with Coulsdon Nursery, in Linden Avenue, with which it is federated, would remain.
Chipstead Valley has been formally approved to become an academy and Mr Denley said he expected the process to be finished by spring.
The academies programme has proved controversial, with critics saying it creates a two-tier education system by sucking good teachers and students from local authority schools.
A Department for Education spokesperson said conversion to academy status was likely in April, adding: "Last summer we wrote to all outstanding schools across the country, including Chipstead Valley, encouraging them to consider becoming sponsors of underperforming schools.
"We expect all schools who wish to sponsor others to convert to academy status - giving brilliant heads and teachers the freedom to teach in more innovate ways and the autonomy to introduce more creative solutions to underperformance."
