School makes bid for independence

A proposal to seek foundation status has been unanimously approved by the governors of Kings' School in Winchester.

Now they will consult parents over the plans which would allow them to assume more powers, including admissions.

Headteacher Ray Bradbury has fought a well-publicised battle with Hampshire County Council over admission numbers to the highly-regarded school, which has one of the highest GCSE exam pass rates in the country.

Over the past five years, the pupil roll has increased by more than 50 per cent, with pupils attending from all over Hampshire.

A row developed last year when Mr Bradbury accepted all of the 500 applications. The county council objected, arguing that the school was too small to cope and pupils' safety was at risk.

An independent panel later agreed that Mr Bradbury had been wrong to make so many offers. However, on individual appeal nearly every child offered a place received it.

Mr Bradbury said he thought Kings' bid was ground-breaking. "We are certainly the first in Hampshire and maybe the first nationally."

He pledged that it would not herald any attempt to change the selection criteria or take on more pupils.

"The school has no desire to become selective. The purpose is not to enlarge the school. That is what some of the objectors will say. That is not our intention. We have reached the maximum size in our present buildings.

"If we wanted to expand further we would have to go to the admissions forum and get permission from the school's organisation committee. I would imagine permission would be unlikely."

Mr Bradbury said the timing of the move was "unfortunate" so soon after a well-publicised admissions row with the county council. Parents in central and southern Hampshire are increasingly applying to Kings', with its traditional ethos and academic reputation.

Governors are now legally required to talk to the county council, parents and other schools that may be affected.