June 14th, Hanley Castle High School

I'd been invited along in my role as Chairman to hear the school's plans for obtaining Foundation status. I possibly need to declare an interest here as I have two children at the school. Jeff Robinson, Chair of Governers, Mark Astill, Treasurer of Governors and Mrs. Lynsey Cooke the new head teacher laid out the reasoning behind their desire to achieve Foundation Status, taking care to highlight the difference between this and Academy Status being much encouraged by the new coalition government. Having listedned to the case put forward, I think the governers have it right: Foundation status provides the right balance between the independence it provides and the support that the school will continue to receive from the Local Authority.