A PRIMARY school in Swindon could be one of the first to become an academy this autumn under new Government plans.

The headteacher of Goddard Park Primary School in Park North says he is working throughout the summer holidays to try and get the school ready to become an academy by the end of September.

Mike Welsh said the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, had indicated to him that academy status would be approved for the school.

“We have already consulted with parents and staff quite significantly but now we are consulting with staff and trades unions in more details,” he said.

“If that goes well then we expect that in late September, after proper consultation has been undertaken, we should get full academy status. We feel that this is so right.

“We’ve had a lot of support from parents and staff and there is an excellent level of trust there.”

Mr Welsh, who grew up in Swindon, has been headteacher of Goddard Park for 20 years.

Despite the school serving one of the poorest wards in Swindon it has been rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

But Mr Welsh said there was always room to improve and he believes the academy route is the way forwards.

He said: “Goddard Park has a very good track record of working with the community. But we can always improve all the time – it is not a static situation.

“We’ve got to be looking at how we can raise attainment and children’s life chances.

“We have a wonderful staff and I’m confident that academy status will enable us to raise standards even further.

He added: “The key to this is that Goddard Park is going from strength to strength but while working with the community.”

The town has one other academy – the Swindon Academy first opened in September 2007 and its new buildings in Beech Avenue were officially opened earlier this year.

The Government’s Academies Bill allows hundreds more schools to opt out of local authority control and turn into academies. ‘Outstanding’ rated schools can be fast-tracked to academy status.