Whitchurch school is converting to an academy

Sir John Talbot's Technology College in Whitchurch will become an academy at the start of the new school year following a month-long consultation.

The school is currently under the control of an interim executive board (IEB) after a damning report by Ofsted in 2013, and the associate headteacher from The Marches School in Oswestry David O'Toole - who had been seconded to Sir John Talbot's as headteacher until August - has now been appointed as headteacher designate.

In March last year the Oswestry school was approached by Shropshire Council to provide support to Sir John Talbot's to help it improve after it had fallen into special measures.

The IEB applied to the Department for Education for Sir John Talbot's to become an academy in February, with The Marches Academy Trust as sponsor.

The Marches School in Oswestry will now sponsor the the school and continue to support it going forward.

Sponsored academy status is designed for 'underperforming' schools where standards still need to be raised.

The decision was taken after overwhelming support following a recent consultation with stakeholders which involved staff, students, parents, prospective parents, primary school headteachers and trustees.

Headteacher David O'Toole said: "We want to be the best we can be and to be the school of choice for the young people in the Whitchurch area. Nothing is going to divert us from this goal.

"We have been working closely with The Marches School over recent times and this has enabled us to make rapid progress.

"I believe that this is the right action for this school at this time."

Sarah Longville, executive headteacher of The Marches Academy Trust, said: "There is a drive nationally towards collaboration between schools and by sponsoring Sir John Talbot's, this will enable us to continue to build on these developments and provide the school with the support and stability it needs to thrive."

Ann Hartley, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for children's services, welcomed the decision.

She said: "This is really good news for Sir John Talbot's.

"We want SJT to become the school of choice for all 11 to 18-year-olds in Whitchurch and its surrounding area, and to make sure the pupils are getting the very best education opportunities possible."

Last summer, students made history and achieved the school's best-ever GCSE results, leading it to be named the most improved school in Shropshire in the 2014 GCSE league tables.