Academy Position Statement

Felpham Community College has no current plans to become an academy. 

In order to ensure that changing circumstances can be effectively monitored, the governing body has an academy working group that continues to provide an overview of the national and local developments regarding academy status. The working group weighs up the possible pros and cons of conversion to an academy. 

The governing body recognises that there are different circumstances when a school may need to consider academy status. The first is if the standards fall to a level that would cause concern to West Sussex County Council and the Department for Education (DfE) and it would be seen as being beneficial to form a partnership with an academy ‘sponsor’. 

The second is if the school voluntarily chose to ‘convert’ to academy status, which Felpham would be entitled to do as a school that is performing well. Such a decision would be based on there being educational benefit to the school and its students. Currently the governing body do not see sufficient compelling reasons to take such an option and remain content with the relationship it has with West Sussex County Council as the education authority. 

Felpham Community College intends to be an outstanding school and invests considerable effort into seeking out and applying the best of modern teaching practice alongside the retention of traditional values. The school is clear about its ethos, values and how best to deliver a positive life influencing education for students, which allows them to be safe, happy and well educated. The school believes that the current arrangements give it the freedom and independence necessary to provide the best opportunity to achieve the most for students and for the school.