PLANS to change Salendine Nook High School into an Academy have been delayed.
The school was due to switch to academy status on December 1.
But legal issues have delayed it until February 2012.
Headteacher Christine Spencer told the Examiner the legal issues involved the school’s shared land use with neighbouring Huddersfield New College.
But she said she was confident the school would be an Academy by February.
Mrs Spencer said: “There have been quite a lot of schools who have set a date but sometimes there are legal issues that get in the way and it leads to delays.
“We have some shared land with Huddersfield New College and we need to sort out the legalities.
“Lots of negotiations need to take place with the land issues and we want to make sure everything is right for all concerned.
“We didn’t make the December 1 deadline and with Christmas coming up we decided February would be best.”
A source close to the New Hey Road school told the Examiner that the delay was due to Private Finance Initiative contracts.
Reports have suggested 16 schools nationally had delayed their plans to become academies after banks refused to sign private finance contracts.
But Mrs Spencer said that was not the case for Salendine Nook, adding: “That is an issue with some schools with the banks taking a different line, but I’m assured from the local authority solicitors that this is not an issue whatsoever for us.”
Mrs Spencer said school staff were informed of the decision and it would be communicated to parents and pupils via the school website.
She added: “This is a temporary hitch, it won’t affect anything in the school.”
The Academy switch was backed in July by the school’s board of governors, following a consultation with the school’s 1,315 pupils and their parents, 86 teaching staff and 47 members of support staff.
The decision means the school will be funded directly by Government and could change its curriculum and alter staff pay and conditions.
At the time chairman of governors David Clarke said the school would not be making any radical changes, saying: “We will continue to have the same ethos and values for the school. There will be no changes to school term dates and no changes to pay and terms and conditions for staff.”
Nearly 1,000 schools nationally have converted to academy status since the General Election, including 185 at the start of the school term in September.
Locally, Moor End in Crosland Moor, Mirfield Free Grammar School, Shelley College and Rastrick High School all became academies at the start of the new term.
